The City of Light isn't as bright as it Seems
by AnimeImagitiveFluff
Summary: 17th century France. The Prince of Paris is in love with the red clad vigilante girl and the a baker's daughter is smitten for the future king of France, crown to a monarchy slowly crumbling to the ground. But, the real question is, do they know the real threat that looms over their heads, or will they figure it out the hard way?
1. Fireworks and secrets

'Ow!'

Oh no. Oh god no.

Ladybug turned around slowly, her eyes wide behind her red mask and her mouth clenched. She looked furious!

I backed away from her, nearly falling off the carriage roof.

'Did you just- '

I had not meant to do that; I had not meant to do that at all! I was just so caught up in the moment, and the carriage was just so hard to balance on as it bounced around the dirt road, the high pitched screaming coming from inside it was just so distracting, and I didn't think putting my hand holding my sabres out for balance would be a big deal. I didn't KNOW my partner had moved from her position behind me, I didn't know that the very tip of my sword would hit her! It had just been a big mistake performed by a series of unfortunate events that together had made this the **WORST** mistake in the history of humanity itself! But it had happened, and I was still here to face the consequences, of just hitting Ladybug on the ass in a very crude fashion. So, as I may repeat from before. Oh no, Oh god no.

'Did you really just do that' she demanded furiously, marching closer to me very threateningly.

'Ladybug' I stammered. 'I'm so- I didn't mean – I just- forgive me!' I pleaded.

'How dare you do that' she yelled, raising her hand holding her whip up behind her as if she was about to strike.

'Wait!' I yelped, raising my hands to protect my face as she sent the tightly woven leather strip flying at my face, only for it to miss my neck by mere cm's. I turned to see Ladybugs whip, instead of scaring my face, had wrapped around an oil fuelled fire drum, and had caused it to capsize over, making flaming oil to spread across the road. The closest bandit fell from his horse screaming in pain. People ran from their houses to douse the fire with water buckets, or chamber pots if they were desperate.

'I will deal with you later' Ladybug hissed as she whipped her black velvet cape around her and strode back to her position at the front of the carriage where she protected the driver.

I breathed a sigh of relief that turned into a yelp as a bullet brushed my head and knocked my hat off. I caught it and pulled it hastily back onto my head, I liked that hat! The way it hid my blond hair and dipped low over one eye with green feathers perched up in the air, with it I cast quite a figure.

'Focus Chat' Ladybug called as she kicked a man off the carriage who had been trying to climb on board. The screaming coming within got louder as the carriage rode over his body with a thump that nearly dislodged its two protectors. I saw the man's still body then trampled by his friends on their horses as they rode behind them. I gnashed his teeth and started to fight with a new ferocity. No one should be treated like that by their friends, even if they were a god stinking thief.

'How much further?' Ladybug called to the driver as she stood over him whipping her whip back and forth with a loud crack.

The poor terrified man pointed in response, both Ladybug and I turned to see Île de la Cité spread out as grand as ever between buildings, with the royal castle resting on top of it, lit up like the sun. They were close, they just had to make it to the bridge and they were home free!

The horsemen following them, releasing that this night was going to be for mute, urged their horses faster on the thin city roads of Paris.

'What are they doing?' Ladybug cried out as they pulled their horses beside the carriage, 'the road isn't wide enough, they will die!'

'Not today Lady' yelled one of the closest villains, a cigarette dangling from his smiling lips as a thick scrap of material covered his eyes. He tipped his wide hat in my directions and flicked the cigarette through the open carriage window. The screams grew louder as fire flickered to life.

Ladybug swore loudly, causing the now cigarette-less bandit to laugh and pull his horse's reins back harshly. In an instant he and his crew had disappeared down a back ally.

I caught Ladybugs eye, she looked equally as mad as I was that our attackers got away, but as we both knew, we had a bigger priority.

The carriage suddenly titled violently and I tipped over the side, just managing to snag my leg on the edge. I gasped as the top feathers on my hat just brushing the cold stone road. It was far too close for my tastes, so when I felt a small strong hand grip the back of my coat, I grabbed onto it for dear life, which I kind of was.

'My Lady' I called, looking up at her as she knelt on my leg I managed to hook over the side before I fell, to make sure I didn't completely fall off.

'Give me your hand, you silly cat!' she yelled, leaning over the edge to offer me her other hand. I reached up and gripped her fingertips for a few seconds before my hand slipped.

'Come on!' she yelled, 'use those muscles you always boast about'

'If you wish' I said weakly, grunting as I reached up again. This time I caught her hand and didn't let go as Ladybug heaved me back onto the roof. The momentum nearly sending her over the other side of the speeding carriage, and she would have bought me down with her by our tightly grasping hands if I hadn't of caught the side of the rooftop.

She looked at me with wide eyes, then down at the road she would have spattered on, then back to me. She looked like she wanted to say something but then the carriage went through a series of sharp turns and we both dived flat down onto the carriage roof side by side, holding onto the roofing above the terrified driver tightly as our legs went everywhere.

'Why are we going so fast?' I yelled to her, the wind stole my voice and left it weak and small, I was surprised she could even hear it.

'It's the fire' she yelled back, gripping the roof harder as the carriage got steadily faster and faster. 'It scared the horses'

'We need to put the fire out!'

'The river' Ladybug said quickly, 'We need to cut the horses loose and crash the carriage into the river'

'The countess will drown!' I said, looking into her steely blue eyes and were inches from mine. They twinkled beautifully in the fire light.

'Pull them out the threw the driver's window, I'll go round the side and help them with their dresses!'

'How come you get the fun job?' I complained playfully. She smiled and held out her hand, I took it gently and kissed her knuckles before gripping it tightly as she slid over the side of the carriage.

* * *

It was terrifying to hang off the side of a runaway carriage. To be honest I had never been on something so fast in my life and if I stopped to think about the situation I would have gone weak at the knees, but, there was no time to think about these things as I held onto my partner's thin hand for dear life as i opened the door that frankly snapped off on a passing building, I ignored the fact that the door could of just of easily of been me and climbed into the burning carriage.

The countess we were currently huddling at the front of the carriage with her hand maid as the complete back of the cabin was engulfed in flames. I coughed as a blast of smoke went into my face, before climbing inside and grabbed the screaming woman's arm. She screamed louder while her maid beat me with her gloves until they actually looked and saw who I was.

'Ladybug' she gasped, gripping my hand with both of hers. I was startled to see how young she was, practically the same age as me! Her blond hair was coming down from its fancy fashion and her makeup had smudged, but I guess before the screaming and crying she had been doing she must have been very beautiful.

'Quick' I told her, 'Climb out the driver window!'

'What!' she said gasping. 'There is no way I can fit in there!'

I turned to see a she was right; the driver window was more like a peer hole then a window. I swore very unladylike which seemed to shock the countess and her maid into finally stop screaming. I stuck my head and shoulders back out the door shape hole in the carriage and looked up at Chat, holding onto a chunk of the thick velvet that lined the walls of the carriage.

'Have you seen how small the driver's window is?' I called up to him in annoyance. 'I can't even fit my hand in it!'

'Then what do we do now?' he asked, his body thumping against the roof as we went over a particularly big bump that might have been a very unfortunate donkey or a potted plant, it was too dark to tell which.

I looked ahead to see we were heading straight for the entrance of the bridge, guards stationed there were running all over the place, and I guess I would too if I saw a flaming carriage speed towards you!

'Cut the ropes!'

'What! It's too soon!'

'Do it' I yelled frustrated. He swore and leapt forward onto the driver's seat, unsheathed his sabres and with expert procession cut the leather ties off the horses with one swipe. The horses, free of their weight took off towards the bridge where the guards scattered so they didn't get trampled, we, on the other hand, were not so lucky. The front left wheal instantly broke off, sending us into a spin that made us miss the bridge entirely and instead head down a thin road between the water front and a row of houses. I fell back onto the carriage floor, the side of my cape singed from being so close to the fire. I braced my legs against the two seats and stood up again, grabbing a better hold on the roof material this time as I once again stuck my head out the door of the moving carriage. Chat Noir and the driver were at the edge of their seats, seriously, they were just about to fall of their seat, and the only thing preventing them was their grip on the leather remains or the horse's reins. The right corner of the carriage bumped into an old water barrel, Chat's hat fell off and I reached up and caught it. He caught my eye and grinned as I put the hat on my head instead, his blond curls flying in every which way. I looked past him to see we were running out of road for the path took a sharp left with an awfully strong looking warehouse getting closer and closer.

'Jump' I yelled to Chat. He nodded.

I reached back into the carriage and un-mercifully threw the countess out the door. Her hand maid practically threw herself out the door behind her master. The driver soon joined them, I looked up to see Chat Noir grinning as he was about to jump himself, he's a maniac that way. I tucked my whip onto my belt and let go of the material, just as the flaming bench-seat next to me collapsed, trapping my foot against the other seat with a heavy flaming wooden beam. I struggled and tried to free myself, but I was stuck.

'Why aren't you jumping?' Chat yelled to me.

'I'm stuck!' I screamed back.

'WHAT!'

I looked up to see him climbing over the outside of the carriage to get to me, he must be crazy.

'Just jump' I told him, pulling harder at my leg. It was getting painfully hot in my leather boot.

'Not without you, My Lady' he said as he reached me. He took one look at my leg being trapped by the flaming wood and unsheathed his sabres from his side.

'Don't you dare hit me with that again' I joked weakly as he wedged his thin sword between my foot and the wood, trying to wiggle it out of place.

'I wouldn't think of it' he said not looking at me, but I could still see his worry in the motion of his movements. Then, as if a miracle sent from God himself, the beam shifted and my foot was free, but it was too late, we were seconds from impact. I turned to Chat, gasping, but he just pulled me INTO the cabin onto the remaining seat and wrapped both of us in his long black cloak. He braced himself against the walls of the cabin just before impact.

I jerked against Chat, then slammed against the seat again as the carriage jerked through the front doors of the warehouse and collided with whatever it was inside. I bashed my head against something hard and the world started spinning again. I looked up to see Chat's face close to mine, he was saying something that I could hear, but it was like he was speaking in another language that I couldn't understand. But what I could understand is that he was fully pressed against me, his legs entwined with mine and his arms propped up against the cushion next to my head. This was the most intimate I had ever been with someone before, and by the blush that was spread across Chat Noir's face, I could tell it was a first for him too. Usually I would be screaming right now for him to get the fuck up, but my brain was handling everything ever so slow! I don't even think the shock of the crash has worn in yet. I was still looking up at Chat Noir, he looked a bit panicked now, one of his hands gripped the side of my face, I rolled into it and realised I was looking right into the fire. It was awfully close now wasn't it. I guess that was why I was so warm, well either that or from Chat's cloak that was covering both of us. It was padded with the finest leather that was awfully hard to come by, but was flame retardant, so in our work line, it was worth it. And how do I know about his fire proof cloak? Well I made it. But now was not the time to be thinking about such things, for I do believe that my hair was about to catch on fire. I looked up at Chat again and mumbled something that was meant to be

'We need to move. Fire'

but even my own words sounded foreign to me. He must have got the meaning of it thou, for in moments he had pulled the both of us out of the flaming carriage had wrapped an arm around my waist and was half carrying me half pulling me towards the back exit. My feet stumbled underneath me and I was sure I wouldn't even be able to move without my partner. My head rolled to the side and I saw line upon line of creates all marked with the same Chinese writing, a close crate was open to reveal brightly coloured paper and string, the other was full of fine dark powder. Chat was saying something, and if I concentrated I could make out every second word he was saying. Something about hurry, explosives, view, and fireworks. Ohhhhhhhhhhh. We were in a fireworks factory, and the carriage was still on fire so we had to get out before it blew us all sky high. Now it makes sense why my blond haired partner was looking so panicked and why he would not slow down. I tried to make my feet more controlled but it was like trying to walk with cement block shoes, I stumbled and in the end Chat just scooped my up into his arms and carried me like a maiden in distress, which I guess I was but I wasn't happy about it.

'Just leave me' I muttered to Chat, trying to concentrate with the world still spinning. He looked down at me and grinned, his white teeth flashing in the dark.

'Not without my hat' he said smirking, holding me tighter. Next thing I knew we were outside and running down alley ways and up stairwells, Chat set me down on the roof top of the old library, it had a beautiful view of everything in Paris, on a clear day you could even see the city walls that lined the town.

'Are you feeling better My Lady' Chat asked as I leant against the old chimney. No one has used it in years.

'I can understand you at least' I muttered, taking off Chat's hat and rubbing my head. My leather glove came away wet with something. I stripped it off and rubbed my head again with my bare hand, it was blood. I made a noise of surprise and held my hand up to Chat as if I had just found a pretty object out of the blue and was surprised about it, not that I had just realised that I was bleeding. He quickly knelt down next to me and started looking through my black hair for the cut.

'How did I not realise?' he muttered to himself. I laughed stupidly, just like drunks do at the pub.

'Red and black my friend' I said, pushing him away from me. 'It hides all blood; why do you think I chose these colours in the first place?'

'For luck' Chat said weakly as he tried to look at my head again, I slapped his hands away.

'I will be fine my silly cat' I told him. 'I can look at it myself, and you have already touched me enough for this evening'

'But how do you know where the cut is?' he asked.

'Because it's right here!' I said, pointing at the place that hurt behind my right ear. 'No wait it's – '

'Too late' Chat Noir said smirking as he straddled my legs and turned my head to the side to see my cut. I moaned.

'Get off me' I said weakly, shoving at his chest since it was right in front of my face. 'It's just a small cut, and you don't need to sit on me!'

'How do you know?' he murmured, brushing my hair out of the way with gentle hands.

'I don't' I said softly. Leaning back against the chimney again and closing my eyes.

'My Lady?' Chat said softly, concerned.

'Just closing my eyes' I said softly. 'That way the world doesn't spin as much'

'You really hit your head that hard?'

'You have no idea' I said sadly. There is nothing so embarrassing then have to be saved like this, being carried away while you babble about stupid things. I once had to carry Chat four blocks to our hide out at the time while he repeated over and over that he hated his life, and that seeing me was the best thing in it. Then he had passed out for four hours while I took care of him when I could. When he had woken up the first thing he did was ask me what he said, I lied and told him he said nothing and he looked so relieved that I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. And now here he was, returning the favour.

'You were right' Chat Noir said, interrupting my thoughts, I looked up at him as he holds my head in his hands. 'It was only a small cut; you will be alright'

'You can get off me now' I said shoving him to the side. He slid off me and sat down next to me. We just sat there, looking out at the landscape of Paris, smoke rising from chimneys all over the place, moonlight reflecting off the rivers that cut across the city like a knife, so many lights shining from inside the palace it was the brightest thing around.

'Hay Chat' I said softly, he made a noise of acknowledgment.

'Do you think those men wanted to kill the Countess?'

'They probable wanted to kidnap her' he said turning towards me. 'Then they can demand a ransom, it has happened before'

'When?' I asked looking over at him. He was a lot closer than I thought.

'A long time ago' he said breathlessly. I saw him glance down at my lips quickly, then back up to meet my eye. Oh no.

'I'm still mad at you by the way' I told him suddenly, just as the fireworks warehouse finally exploded. We gasped up at the dull night sky as it was suddenly filled with colour and light!

'Hay Ladybug' Chat said softly.

'What?'

'I think we should move!'

'Why?'

But just then an un-exploded firework fell out of the sky onto the roof by our feet, the fuse was lit.

'Yeah, time to go' I said as we jumped to our feet and leapt off the library rooftop just as the firework exploded. We sprinted across the rooftops of our city dodging sparks and fire where they fell randomly and unexpectedly around us. I could help myself, as I glanced over at my partner in black, his long leather cloak dragging behind him in the wind, the bright purple light behind him illuminating his black vest with his long-sleeved green tunic underneath, shinning off leather gloves that matched his boots and tight pants, I laughed. When I donned my own leather gloves, pants and boots, when I pulled on my own red tunic with black and red striped over-corset, I never thought I would be here, running through a spectacularly beautiful mine field. These rare moments where beauty trumped violence is the reason I put my mask on in the first place, because in the small life I am expected to live, moments like these where terror and adrenalin and bliss course through your veins at the same time was never meant to happen! And that is just something I cannot live without.

Chat Noir's bright green eyes, hidden behind his striking black mask caught my own, and he started to laugh as well.

'Feeling better My Lady?' he called as we easily leapt over a particularly wide gap.

'Always' I replied as we slipped down a water pipe into a side ally with a secret tunnel built into the wall 15ft above the ground. It was our favourite entrance into the catacombs that lay underneath Paris's un-expecting gaze, for it was a slide, straight down with no handles or foot holds, and I have to say, it is wicked fun to use. It took us straight into the middle of a five-way junction with each path leading to a different place in the city, Chat grabbed my hand and dragged me down to the path 3rd from the right. He always was the one to lead the way when we were down here. While I still had the tendency to get lost, he knew the tunnels like the back of his hand, he knew exactly where there were hidden doors in the darkness, or when there was a random hole in the ground with a very deep bottom, it was like he could see in the dark or something. We came to a locked door half hidden by moss that grew from the dripping sealing, I unlocked it with a key I had hidden in my boot. We entered into a wide rectangular room furnished unlike the rest of the endless tunnels, for this room was our hide out. There was dim light streaming in threw a window built into the roof, it was covered in water and I expected right now we are actually underneath the bridge leading to the royal palace. How someone managed to build this is unknown to either of us since it was here when we first arrived, but whoever did build this must of been very wealthy for only the rich could afford glass windows! The walls were left plain white cement but we have nailed pegs into them to hand our weapons and gear off. Chat somehow managed to sneak a table and chairs in here, along with a locked chest that we keep all the money we are paid with when the king or his nobles want some paid protection. Today when we saw the carriage in distress, we had no idea it was a countess inside, and only found out when we heard her screaming 'How dare you, I am the countess visiting the king you mongrels, how dare you!', so sadly, we won't be paid today.

There were three doors in the room, the one we came through and the two doors we use when leaving, one that leads to the royal kitchen bakery that I use to get home without anyone noticing and one that Chat Noir uses to get home un-noticed. I have no idea where Chat's door goes too.

'Well that was exhausting' Chat said as he took off his coat with a moan.

'I always hated carriage rides' I said pulling the knives out of my sleeves and putting them on their rightful place on the wall opposite. 'I never told you that did I?'

'No you did not, and it would probably be more useful if you had of'

I laughed, winding up my whip and hanging it from my whip.

'I'm serious'

I turned to see Chat Noir staring at me, his collar was undone exposing his chest, his vest open and his hat in one hand and his sabres in the other. He looked dead serious. No, I can't deal with this again.

'I'm still mad at you' I said quickly.

'No, don't change the subject again- '

'You hit me!'

'Ladybug!' he groaned stabbing his sword into its holder and dropping it onto the floor. He placed his hat on top of it.

'On the ares! It was mortifying, and from my own partner too!'

'it was an accident' Chat complained turning away with his head in his hands.

'Sure it was, you know perfectly well how to use your sabres and you knew- '

'I didn't know you had moved over there' he said angrily pulling his vest off and throwing it onto the nearby chair.

'Oh bull shit, you know everything in a fight!'

'I'M SORRY OKAY!' Chat exploded stomping over. 'I'm sorry I hit you, I'm sorry I didn't follow your orders and just leave you in that carriage, which I'm just saying in case you're about to yell at me for that next just to stop us from having a different argument that you do not want to have'

We stood in front of each other, him panting hard and me hardly breathing. I am shorter then almost everyone I know so I learnt early on to not be intimidated by height alone, but seeing my partner glare down at me (since he was a head taller), I realised why most of Paris feared him.

'You should have left me' I said softly. He moaned loudly and turned away from me to stomp across the room, yanking off his green tunic on the way and discarding it on his way to the door.

'Because then you wouldn't have all those bruises' I called to him sadly. He stopped in his tracks, the blue marks on his back standing out boldly as they lined his white skin. He reached up and gripped his shoulder where a faint cut was just forming.

'You have to be more careful next time' I told him sadly. 'I hate it when you get hurt because of me!'

'It was either these bruises or your death' he said not turning. 'And I would trade that any day!'

And with that he was gone, back into his world unknown to me until disaster needed us again.

I sighed and unclipped my over corset. It was like nothing else of its time, with most corset's being under thick material dresses they weren't meant to be seen, just made for strength and stability, but quite quickly into my crime fighting days I realised I needed to breath, and such, couldn't wear a corset, or a traditional one at that since I had been wearing a corset for six years now since the age of nine and found not wearing one quite uncomfortable. So I got some thin metal sheets from a friends and moulded them to my waist, sewed them into some thick coarse material and ta-da, I had a stab proof corset that has been VERY helpful over the years, plus, it did wonders to my figure. I folded it up and placed it on a chair I had draped my cloak over before placing my boots next to them, my gloved still had blood on them. I washed them in the bucket that collected the drips of water from the roof, and was just about to dip my head in the bucket to get the blood out of my hair when I heard a polite cough. I turned to see Tikki standing in my doorway, she was hunched over as with her arms full of her medical bag and several towels. Her real name wasn't really Tikki, it was Matilda, but in her early years of working in the palace people started calling her Tilly, but then one day about 35 years ago years ago some ass-hat called her Tikki by mistake and the name stuck. So now in her 59th year of palace service, she is just known as Tikki, the woman who knew the castle better than the king, but there was much more about this mysterious woman then anyone knew, and even me, the closest person to her by far didn't even know her real name wasn't Tikki until three years of knowing her, less alone her real age.

'Marinette' she said worriedly, dumping her bag on the floor and rushing over to me as fast as her old legs would let her.

'How did you get here so fast?' I marvelled.

'Plagg told me'

Oh, Chat Noir's friend who lead him down here like Tikki lead me. The only one that knows to worry about us fighting crime every night, and talk about worry, it was painted all over her face.

'I'm fine' I told her quickly, brushing the damp hair that had gotten tangled in my mask off my face, she made an impatient noise and ripped my mask off, stuffing it into her apron pocket.

'How long has it been bleeding?'

I shrugged, she dragged me over to the closest chair.

'You're lucky you can hide it under your hair' Tikki muttered furiously. Before asking louder 'What was it this time?' as she pulled my hair out of the way.

'Flaming carriage crash'

'Oh yeah?' she said sceptically as she dabbed something that stung into the cut. 'Nothing else?'

'We blew up the fireworks factory on the water's edge'

'I saw' she said stiffly, 'all of the palace saw'

I tried not to smile. Alya will be gossiping about this for a week.

'There is something you should know' Tikki said suddenly after a few minutes' silence. 'The countess you saved today'

'Yeah' I said, not liking her tone at all.

'She came to the city to be wedded to the Prince'

Oh.

My sweet Prince Adrien. I always loved him, even though I always knew he could never be mine, I just couldn't make myself stamp out the dream that Adrien could love me one day, but now it was official that he will never be mine, I couldn't stop my heart from breaking no matter how hard I tried. So Tikki held me as I cried into her apron, whispering soothing things into my ear until I could cry no more. She braded my hair and helped me into my work dress that I kept hidden behind my door while I sat there sniffing, then she helped me up the long dark corridor that exited into the baker's kitchen underneath the small sink in the corner that broke long ago, then she took me to my boardroom that I shared with Alya and laid me to bed. I watched with tired eyes as Tikki snuck out the back door without making a noise, wondering how the old widow knew so much about soothing the heart when she herself never promised her own to anyone.

* * *

Hello my friends, it is me, the amazing writter who wrote this written work.

Oh and good job, you made it threw this first chapter, which, in my opinion, is the worst, but i cant rewrite it now since it has some important idea's in it and i am lazy as fuck.

Sorry if you don't like swearing and all, but i do so (SHRUG)

And if you dont know, this is a fanfiction set in the year 1760, 30 years before the french revolution and the queen who was obsessed with cake.

I promise to submit a new chapter every week for i have already finished the whole story since i have WAYYYYYY to much free time.

That is all, good bye, good luck and if you have trouble reading some of the french quotes, google it.

;)


	2. Anger both new and old

She had such worry in her voice it killed me. She cared for me, that was obvious, but not in the way I want. I want her to love me with her whole heart like how I love her, I want her to feel like her chest will burst every time she sees me like mine does in her presence, I want her to trust me fully with no hints of a secret in sight, but, she just doesn't.

In my everyday life, when I parade around the castle as Prince Adrien I can have everything I want no matter how imprudent, but as Chat Noir, the dark hero of Paris, I have to fight and beg for what I want, and I have never regretted that, but there are times I do wish the same principles would stand. Today when I was saving her from the carriage crash we were so close I could have kissed her, but then I saw her dull gaze that usually encaptivated me, and for a moment I thought she had died! I forgot that I was lying next to fire, that I was in an extremely undignified position to be found in, I even forgot who I was or were to be. I just looked into her face, calling her name until the spark of life was lit in her eyes once more. I was so relieved that I could have stayed there forever, but then she had whispered to me about the fire and I was bought back to reality. We had run, we had hidden on the library until we had had to run some more, this time for a different reason. I had worried about her head affecting her balance but she proved that nothing could stop her forever. She is the strongest person I had ever met, and I guess that is just another reason why I loved her. But love leads to requests, and requests leads to arguments, and arguments leads to pain, which is what I was absorbed in as I stormed out of the room we had made together. I grunted from a different type of pain as I hastily pulled my evening shirt onto my aching back, and then the other items of clothing I had left here too. I barely made it two steps before I walked into Plagg who was standing in the shadows like the cat he was. He was a tall old man with black hair despite his ancient age and long thin hands. He was my school tutor as long as I could remember, and when my father enrolled me in the school at the palace, Plagg became my friend. I guess you could say Plagg was the reason I wasn't a spoilt brat like the other noble boys in the palace, and I am always grateful for that, but right now, I just wasn't in the mood for his company.

'What is the matter Sir Prince' he asked me calmly as he straitened my collar.

'Not everything went to plan' I said softly, brushing his hands off and shoving past him.

'Are you hurt Sir?' he asked, falling into line behind me.

'No' I replied sulkily, ripping my mask off and throwing it over my shoulder. Plagg caught it with nimble hands and placed it carefully into his pocket.

'Please refrain from lying Sir'

'If you must know, I got them by falling off the roof of a moving carriage'

'And?'

'And I guess I got some more when the same carriage crashed into a warehouse'

'Is that all?'

'What else would there be?'

'There is blood in your fingernails Young Prince'

I looked down, and sure enough there was blood incrusted in each of my nails. How did that get there? I was wearing gloves wasn't I?

'It's Ladybug's' I said plainly, walking faster up the steep stone stairs.

After a hesitation Plagg fell into step next to me once more.

'What is the matter sir?'

'Just the same old argument'

Plagg sighed and reached around me to open the hidden door in the brickwork. He regarded me with slight worry as thin dust rained down from the wall that was opening up like the secret door it was, making the noise of rock scraping against rock fill the air.

'You cannot force her to do something she does not consent to' Plagg said, repeating something he has told me many times before. I glared at him as we walked through the new door way into the princes dimly lit sitting room, or in other words, my sitting room, with one door leading to MY massive bed room and another leading to MY old class rooms.

'You think I don't know that?' I asked angrily, kicking the nearby chair, tipping it over soundlessly onto the thick rug. 'You don't think I know that if I just pulled off my damn mask I could order her to tell me who she was?' I said pacing the room. 'That at any moment I could order her to do anything I wish? But I don't, and it infuriates me'

'Then why don't you?'

'What?' I asked irritably, turning back towards Plagg. He was standing with his arms folded regarding me with calm interest. He was never surprised by my outbursts.

'Why don't you just take off you mask and order her to obey her prince? By law she would have too'

'Because what if she refused?' I snapped. 'What if she just laughs at me? What if she just runs away and never returns? There is nothing I have to tie her down, and that scares me Plagg. I don't know anything about her, she won't tell me anything, not to even think about her name! If she just left I could do nothing to stop her, and I hate being this helpless'

'Then let her go'

I shook my head and sat down on a couch besides the upturned chair, resting my head in my hands.

'I love her too much Plagg' I said, muffled.

'Adrien' Plagg said, kneeling next to me and placing his thin hand on my shoulder. 'If you truly love her, don't chain her down. The only true way to win her heart is for her to give it to you, and if you steal it, then it was never yours to begin with'

'Then what do I do?' I moaned to him, gripping my hair between my fingers.

'With a girl like that' Plagg said fondly, 'you can only wait and hope'

I looked up at him sharply, he was looking over my shoulder with clouded eyes, like he was remembering something from long ago.

'What if she does leave?' I whisper to him, scared of the answer.

'Then trust that she will stay for the sake of your friendship, and for Paris, who needs you more than they think'

'I can't do that forever'

'I know Young Prince, no one can do that forever, for eventually it will get too painful to hold on and you will have to let go. Let's just hope things will change before then. But for now, bed. Get some sleep, I presume Countess Chloe will want to see you tomorrow'

I nodded slowly, my strength fading and my back aching more with each breath.

'Does the Prince need help getting to bed?' Plagg asked smirking. I glared at him weakly. He hasn't needed to do that in years.

'Don't bother yourself' I said standing quickly to my feet. Plagg caught me as I almost fell over.

'I will do no such thing' Plagg said as he wrapped a hand around my waist and supported me over to my room. It was a massive room with high wooden furniture painted silver and gold. The walls were a dark blue that faded into the black that lined the ceiling, except for the crescent moon shaped hole in the ceiling covered by a thick panel of glass. It was beautiful how the moon shaped window showed a patch of the sky that always contrasted with the black paint that surrounded it, of course it was beautiful, my mother had designed it before her passing. I couldn't help myself from thinking of my mother as Plagg took off my shoes and coat and laid me in my bed, and in my weakened state, as I stared at the few stars that shun down on me, I couldn't stop myself from letting a few tears escape from my eyes and stain my pillow.

'Why does love join hands with pain so easily' I whisper to Plagg as he knelt down next to my bed and took my hand.

'Why do the two emotions of complete opposite fit so smoothly together, it is unfair Plagg, unfair to the world and itself in the sense'

'Love and Pain have been friends since the beginning Sir Prince' Plagg told me softly. 'When one arrives the other is soon to follow, I guess you must only wish for the kind one to arrive last to heal the wounds'

'But what is the kind one Plagg?'

'That is for you to find out yourself Young Prince'

Plagg had wisdom in his words, but before I could think of any I was fast asleep.

* * *

The prince's face was still damp from his tears when I left him. It saddened me to see him so distraught. Being young and in love is a terrible thing, but being a prince and in love is even worse, especially since the prince has picked someone who loves another, and with Adrien's soft heart, I fear there will be no happy end to this.

I pondered over all of this as I walked through the dark sleeping castle, passing no one but a few drowsy guards who ignored my presence. I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice the presence of another until she was standing in front of me with her arms folded. It had been so long since I talked to her I had to force myself to meet her eyes, and when I did a wave of pain rose to the surface despite being buried long ago. Tikki as everyone knew her, but to me she will always be Matilda, my Matilda, but I guess she hasn't been mine in a very long time. The young Prince was not the only one who knew the pain of being young and in love.

'They crashed a carriage' Tikki said, her wrinkled face pulled into a deep scowl, but despite that I still thought she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen.

'Greetings to you as well' I said softly. This was the first time I had talked to her face to face in 3 years, aside from little notes and clue here and there that we left for each other, Tikki never talked to me, you could even go as far as to say she despised seeing me, and the only reason she even stayed in the palace after our falling out was because of the secret we both shared that rested in our pockets.

'Don't go all soft on me Plagg' Tikki snapped, 'they crashed a carriage! Into a fireworks warehouse! Did you see the explosion?'

'of course I did' I snapped back, before adding more softly. 'Do you remember the last explosion we saw that was so extraordinary?'

'Don't do that' Tikki said fiercely. 'I am still mad at you and I probably will be for a very long time, the only reason I'm talking to you is because they drove a flaming carriage into a warehouse and my girl got hurt!'

'What do you want me to do about it?' I asked softly 'they get hurt all the time! What's so special about this time?'

Tikki set her jaw and glared even harder at me. I knew that look.

'You didn't even come here to talk about that did you?' I said softly. The hardening of her eyes confirmed it.

'Well, what is it? Go on'

'Countess Chloe is here to marry the Prince' Tikki said bluntly. I looked at her in shock.

'Are you certain?'

'Yes, I was there to assist the Countess as she arrived at the Palace, she was fussing about her dress and hair and demanding that someone redo her makeup before the Prince sees her, then the King himself showed up and told her that she would be absolutely entrancing by tomorrow when she met her fiancé. This is happening Plagg, he will be married and two hearts will break'

The poor prince. All he ever wanted was to be free from his Princely duty's, to run wild and free with the girl he loves, but now his title as the next King will take everything from him, even his freedom.

His heart will break into a million pieces, but who is the second heart that Tikki mentioned?

Ah.

'Your girl' I said slowly. 'She's still in love with the Prince isn't she?'

Tikki nodded slowly. 'She was crying her eyes out tonight when I told her the news'

I laughed grimly.

'What a terrible twist of fate this is' I said humourlessly.

'We have to do something!' Tikki said firmly. 'I think it is finally time we lay all secrets to rest'

'Really?' I said sarcastically, 'All of them'

'If it comes to that, then yes' she said with her jaw set. She was serious about this!

'Tikki, you have been hiding things from your girl for three years now, are you really going to let it all spill just because of this!'

'Yes'

'Tikki, think about this! Prince Adrien is engaged now, knowing who Ladybug really is will do nothing but cause further pain'

'We can't do nothing!'

'There is nothing we can do!'

'I do not except that!' Tikki yelled, turning around to storm away.

'This is just like you Matilda' I yelled after her. 'Always thinking of a way out when there is none, always fighting no matter who gets hurt just as long as it isn't you'

Tikki stopped in her tracks and turned back to me, her face smooth of emotion but her eyes burning with fiercer rage than any flame in hell.

'I have felt more pain then you know' she seethed. 'I have suffered in more ways you can even comprehend! You knowing nothing, NOTHING of the pain I know, so don't you dare talk about getting hurt'

'You weren't the only one who lost someone that day Tikki' I said dangerously low.

'But you weren't the one who pushed someone else away' she shot back, silencing me. 'And sometimes, that hurts even more'

* * *

This one was short considering my standards wasn't it?

Yeah, next chapter is when it starts to get GOOD, so just deal with me okay?

i think i can be a good writter, i just need deadication.

Why did i write that? Oh right, its 3 in the morning and i have to get up in 2 hours for school. I have lost track with reality.

Good bye and good luck


	3. The morning rises

'Marinette, wake up! Don't make me poor cold water on you!'

I groaned and pulled my blankets over my head.

'Come on Marinette, we have work to do!'

I moaned louder.

'We have been doing this for years now and before that we had to get up to work in the bakery. When will you learn to go to bed early? I didn't even see you come home last night'

'This is specifically why I never wanted to be a baker' I groaned to my friend ignoring her question as I threw my blankets off and grabbed my shawl to wrap around myself to keep off the cold morning air. 'They get up too damn early'

'Marinette' Alya said holding out my gloves as I pulled on my boots, 'the only way to sleep-in in the mornings is to be rich enough to pay OTHER people to go out in the morning to get water, but we are not! So we must do it ourselves. We've had this conversation before and we will have it again if it makes you get up and moving!'

'But the sun isn't even up yet' I complained to her as I shut and locked the door of the broom cupboard of a bedroom we shared

'Then what is this light' she said pointing to the sky. It was a dull silver grey that hung in the air like soup.

'It is the tails of stars that just left' I told her dreamily, 'they have not been chased away by the sun yet'

'Sure thing Marinette' Alya said rolling her eyes, but I caught a smile in them.

'Let's talk about something else then' I said quickly, 'Like… I know! How about we talk about the exquisite firework display last night?'

'You saw that!' Alya said grabbing my hands and twirling us around in a circle. 'I couldn't find you anywhere! I thought you had gone off on one of your secret sewing room in the castle and had missed it, they truly were amazing thou. Why did they all go off?'

'Didn't you hear?' I said giggling as we nearly bumped into a man with his arms full of wood. 'Ladybug and Chat Noir crashed a flaming carriage into the warehouse they were stored in!'

Alya gasped.

'how do YOU know that?' she demanded gripping my hands tighter.

'I heard if from a guard who was there' I said giggling.

Alya sighed and shook her head, looking amazed.

'Why did they do that?'

'They were saving Countess Chloe from- oh' My voice trailed off as I remembered the countess.

'Marinette!' Alya asked worried.

Alya was my best friend, my roommate and close enough to be my sister. She was always there for me through thick or thin as I was for her, so she could tell when I was deeply sad about something, and when I was, she got worried about it too.

'The- the Countess is here to marry the Prince' I told her after a moment hesitation.

'Oh Marinette' she said wrapping her arm around my shoulders and holding me in a hug as we continued to walk.

'Its fine Alya' I told her, 'I had all night to deal with it, I think I'm fine'

'Really?' she asked as we picked up our buckets from were they where stacked against a wall.

'No' I admitted, 'I will always love him and it will hurt for a long time, but now at least I can stop crying about it'

'Ata girl' Alya said giving me one last squeeze before releasing me to do our arm straining job of raising a bucket of water out of the palace well. No one really thought about how hard it would be to heave the water back out of the well when designing them in the first place, if they did then they would make us do it in the first place.

'Remember the first time we did this?' Alya said suddenly to clear the sad silence that hung in the air. I looked at her confused. 'I mean the first real time we did this, after you were well again and I could actually finish the job'

'yeah' I said smiling as I cranked the handle back and forth to raise the full bucket up, 'we could barely raise the bucket between us, you almost broke your arm with the final pull'

'but God, look at our arms now! We have mu-cells!' she said, pulling her sleeve back to show her biceps, which I must say, are much bigger than 7 years ago when we started working at the palace, but I guess there were a lot of things about us that have gotten bigger since we were eight years old. My courage for one, her arse for another.

'Damn girl' we heard someone call out behind us, 'put those away before someone sees them that isn't me!'

'Hello Nino' I called over my shoulder to Alya's sort of boyfriend as he ran over.

'Hey Marinette' he said smiling at me briefly before putting all attention on Alya.

'Hey baby' he said, sliding an arm around Alya's waist. She scoffed and pushed him away, he caught her hand and kissed it.

'Get a room' I begged them, 'Please, it hurts'

'Listen to the girl' said another familiar voice from behind me. I stiffened.

'why must the world torment me like this' I muttered to myself as the one, the only, Prince Adrien walked over. He had been secret friends with Nino as long as I could remember, the two of them always running around the castle weaving between guards and servants, all together disturbing the work of everyone with their laughter. I had never talked to the Prince despite my second hand friendship with Nino from Alya, I guess I never really had the chance, it wasn't like Royalty went to the civilian hospital often. And it wasn't like I was meant to talk to him, I was just a lowly peasant after all.

'We have to stop now' Alya told Nino jokingly, 'The prince orders it!'

'Your right' Nino said dropping his hands from Alya like they were burnt and falling to his knees before his blond friend. 'Please Your Majesty, forgive us! I beg of you, don't hang me!

'Get up Nino' Adrien said smiling as he stood looking down at his friend. He was the tallest here you see, a solid head taller than me! But I guess everyone was since I was cursed by chronical shortness.

'Your embarrassing yourself in front of your girl' The prince added.

I snorted as Nino jumped up and brushed the snow off his trousers, deliberately not letting Alya see how embarrassed he is.

Adrien caught my eye and I started to redden.

"Wait" I thought to myself, "He's getting married, you cannot keep on doing this!"

The pain of last night came back in a sudden burst, and I hastily looked away from him.

"Come on Marinette, you have to at least try and act normal around him!" I told myself.

'You alright there Marinette?' Nino asked me, snapping me out of my daze.

'Yeah' I said, smiling, 'Why?'

'You just look tired!'

'I didn't get much sleep last night' I confessed, catching Alya's eye in a silent plea of help.

'The fireworks' Alya said quickly, making me love her even more, 'Marinette was forced to clean up a dud firework when it crashed onto the bridge'

'bad luck, girl' Nino said with sympathy.

'Bad timing I guess' I said brushing his concern aside with a smile, 'But I'm used to hard work'

To empathise my point, I pulled the stiff handle around a few more times until the bucket was in view.

'That doesn't look that hard' Adrien said as I pulled the bucket out.

I paused and looked at him sceptically, his soft hands and narrow shoulders, his pale skin and blond hair that looked freshly washed, I used to be in love with these things, but now I only saw the Prince who has never don't proper days' work in his life, I do not think he could do this as easily as he thinks. At least. that was what I told myself I thought since I was really thinking about how handsome he looked with his second day beard, but, denial was thick in my head at the moment.

I looked over at Alya, she looked back at me with an expression that said 'Well, if he insists'. Nino on the other hand was obviously struggling to not smile.

'Would you like to try Sir Prince' I asked sweetly, looking his directly in the eye. He looked startled to see me talk, it was humours to see him show some emotions beside Princely calm.

'Sure, I can't see why not' the Prince said trying to hide his shock. I smirked and placed the full bucket on the ground as Alya clipped her bucket into the pulley system. Adrien uncertainly grabbed the handle with both of his fancy gloved hands and started to push it forwards.

'Isn't that hard' he remarked with a grin, we all grinned back widely, like we had a secret or something, which I guess we did.

After a while of us watching him work in smug silence I went over and looked down the well and saw that the rope had gone slack.

'You can start pushing the other way now' I told him confidently.

'What?' he said confused.

'Time to pull the water up' I said slowly. I heard Alya and Nino snigger behind me, Adrien's cheeks reddened slightly and I bit the inside of my lip so I didn't laugh myself.

'Right' he said, adjusting his hold on the handle.

'This isn't that hard' he remarked. The rope wasn't even taunt yet.

'Wait for it' I said softly. I caught Alya's eye and she was gripping Nino's arm as if doing that will stop her laughter, Nino was actually holding his mouth closed with his hands. Yeah, he won't last.

'Still not hard'

'Wait for it!'

'You know' Adrien said, still turning the handle, 'I don't know what you're always complaining about Nino, this is- '

He paused, frowning.

'Something wrong Sir Prince?' I asked sweetly, leaning against the well totally as ease.

'No' he grunted as he started pushing harder to move the handle again.

'You sure?'

'Yes' he said, his voice as strained as his hands. At this Nino doubled over laughing on the ground, Alya, laughing almost as hard, braced herself on her knees so she didn't join him on the cold ground. Adrien regarded them with a scowl but continued his work, I watched him closely trying to figure out if this was actually hard for him. I have seen work for hours on his fencing and not drop a sweat, so who knows if raising one bucket of water was difficult to him!

He caught my eye again, I smiled crookedly back.

'Tell me Marinette' he said softly. 'Why are they laughing so much?'

I looked over at Alya and Nino who were still laughing on the ground, or close to the ground in Alya's case.

'I guess you remind them of when they were starting out, being your first time on the handle and all'

'Then why aren't you laughing?' he asked, sweat forming on his brow.

'I remember things different from them' I said, looking away.

'Tell me?'

I looked at him sharply, thoroughly shocked at the idea.

'You can tell me; I won't mind'

"This is absurd" I thought as I looked at the prince panting slightly as he raised a measly bucket of water from the well his family owned along with all of Paris. That whole sentience is absurd, so I guess telling the soon to be King of France about my childhood isn't that bad.

'Alya and I' I said, smiling softly as Nino tried and failed to rise of the ground, laughter still over coming him. 'On our first full day of work here at the palace, when we were barely eight years' old at the time, we were woken in the middle of the night, given a bucket each and told to go to the well and get some water. We could barely reach the handle at the time, and we had no idea what to do even if we could reach it. We nearly dropped the bucket down the well and were terrified of the consequences! In the end Alya broke down in tears, sobbing hysterically, I sent her home and did the work myself. It took me about two hours in the freezing winter night to get enough water for both of the buckets without spilling it down my front! I was sick for weeks afterwards and couldn't leave my bed for almost a month because of this night, so you could say I don't really have nice thoughts here'

'That's terrible' said the Prince sounding mildly horrified. 'Why are they still laughing?'

'Because they don't know' I said sadly, finally looking at him. 'I didn't tell them why I was away because I preferred them to be happy then worry about such trivial things'

'What do they think happened?' he asked, trying to restart his work on the handle, but it was just too hard for him.

'I filled the buckets and went home and was swamped with work for the next month so I didn't see them, the end, that it! We don't talk about it so—do you want help with that?' I asked quickly, suddenly noticing how hard the Prince was panting.

'I'm good' he grunted as he tried with all his might to pull the handle down again, but he just couldn't.

'It's fine' I said laughing. 'I'll do it'

He protested, but I nudged him out of the way and easily started moving the handle again.

'How do you do that?' he marvelled as he stood next to me.

'been working this here handle almost half my life Your Majesty' I said looking at him over my shoulder.

'She's always been the strongest' Nino said as he appeared next to me.

'Yeah, it's sort of weird how strong she is' said Alya as she popped up on my other side.

'That's because I always do all the work' I grunted as I turned it for the last time.

'True' Nino said as he picked the bucket off its string. 'And I respect that Marinette, but I forgot to say that I was actually sent here in the first place to give you the day shift in the hospital'

Alya and I both moaned.

'Not again' Alya complained as we picked up our buckets of water.

'Sorry' I told her sincerely. 'It looks like I'm going to miss out on dinner again'

'Not your fault' she said sadly shaking her head. 'But that explains why you are here' she said to Nino. 'But what about you Sir Prince? What brings you to the watering hole before sun break?'

Prince Adrien, obviously surprised by the question started stuttering about morning air and other weak excuses, it was quite sad to watch, so I helped him out.

'Hey look' I said talking over Adrien, 'the sun is finally showing its head'

We all turned to see the first real rays of the sun reflecting in the water that surrounded the island the Palace was sitting on. Sometimes I think the only good reason for the Palace to be here is just because it looks pretty.

I caught Adrien's eye as he mouthed his thanks, I winked back.

'Hay Marinette' Alya said elbowing me, 'What is that saying you always used to say about sunrises, something in Mandarin?'

I smiled and looked away from the Prince and back to the shining sky.

'Rén de mèngxiǎng, měitiān gǎibiàn yǔ chū shēng de tàiyáng' I said, quoting something told to me long ago by someone long gone.

'What does that mean' Nino asked.

'the dreams of the people change each day with the rising sun' Adrien said smiling. 'it means nothing stays the same, not the will of the people nor the buildings they make'

'Since when do you know Mandarin?' Nino asked amazed, punching his friends arm.

'Been taking lesions since I was ten years old' Prince Adrien said sheepishly.

We stood in silence, just watching the sun rise. After a while I sighed.

'Time for work' I said quietly.

'Time for food' Nino said more energetically.

'Time to face my sisters' Alya said stiffly.

'Time to face my father' Adrien said so heartbreakingly sad that we all tore our eyes away from the sun to look at him. Gone was our friend we can tease into doing our chores for us, and in his place was the Prince who tried desperately to hide how sad he was from the world, and only just managed to pull it off.

This was why I fell in love with him in the first place, he was so sad yet tried so hard not to seem so. He had everything and nothing at the same time, and as someone who had nothing yet everything he wanted, I couldn't help but hope I alone could make him feel loved. It used the break my heart, and still does, but at least now I would not cry about it. I have that at least.

* * *

Ignoring the screams was the first thing I had to learn in my forced work shifts in the palace hospital. People were always in some sort of pain, and it was my job to assist in the healing of whatever was causing it. I never wanted to be a doctor, never even mentioned it, I think someone must have managed to spy my needle work and thought, 'Gee, that girl sure does looks like a nurse' because next thing I knew I was being enrolled a shift in the hospital. My job is stitching up the wounds, and I do that easy enough, ignoring the blood and pus that seeps out of them and try and make it as neat as possible. Sometimes I joke with the patient to try and distract them, others have already passed out from pain, but sometimes I see the wound is just too big, in just the wrong place, and I have to try my hardest to keep my hands from shaking.

When there is nothing to sew up with my black thread and hooked needle, they give me small jobs like sweep the floor, or change the bandages, or even sometimes when they are feeling cruel, they make me give the bad news to families of the dying. I remember the first time I had to do this, to tell a newlywed family about their still born daughter and I felt frozen as I watched their hearts break, it was only hours later when I was down in the crypt washing the blood off my hands from a recent fight of Ladybug's when I broke down in tears. Chat Noir had held me while I had cried, saying soothing things and stroking my hair while I dribbled snot on his shirt. That was the exact moment I realised that life was no blanket, it was going to hurt no matter what I did, I was just going to deal with it as best as I could, and I think about this every time I enter the hospital, because if I didn't I would break.

Today was brutal, with five young Nobel children coming down with the Spanish flu, two servants caught in a horse stampede and almost two dozen other palace servants coming in with dangerous injuries caused by carelessness. I was worked tirelessly all day and the only 'break' I was given was late at night when I had to stich up a long shallow cut that ran up the back of a glass cutter employed at the palace, who had apparently backed away from a sparking fire into a huge knife resting on the work bench behind him.

He was lying on his stomach shirtless, a modestly curtain surrounding us for his sake since there was always a group of young girls who like to venture into the hospital to see the wounded young men, giggling at the sight of bare chests and legs. They were really quite annoying to be around!

'Are you sure you don't have any grog?' he asked me for the fourth time as I worked on his back. It was a badly placed cut, right between the shoulder blades.

'They don't give any to servants' I told him sadly. 'They say that we have a way of dealing with pain that Nobel's don't possess and such don't need any, they say we should be grateful to receive any help at all'

'What nonsense' the man said outraged. 'We are tough because of our actions, we endure because me must, our place of birth has nothing to do with it!'

'Couldn't agree more' I told him strongly. He laughed and looked over his shoulder at me for the first time, his eyes coming to rest on my black hair, clearly of Chinese origination.

A look of understand went through his eyes and I could tell why. A half born of French and Chinese is an outcast to both countries, too French for some, too Chinese for others. I have had to deal with the discrimination of my birth on top of that of my gender and my financial state all my life, I have endured more discrimination than this glass cutter has ever had to and he knows it. I gave him a look over for the first time, something I didn't do a lot since I regarded all my patience the same, just as someone I have to help. He was a young man barley older than me, his hair bright red that fell into his face and his eyes were the color of the lake in summer, a bright blue with green shining in the back-ground. His bare back lean with mussels and old scars that showed how hard he knew life to be.

An odd but familiar feeling went through my chest, something that hasn't happened for anyone but the Prince in a long time. I felt a flutter of nerves!

'I'm Nathanaël' he said suddenly. 'Just in case you were wondering'

'Marinette' I told him with a smile. 'And I do believe I haven't finished sewing up your back yet'

'Right, right' he said quickly turning around again. 'Continue with the medical torcher'

I giggled and lent over his back again, trying to be a little bit more gentle this time.

'So Marinette' Nathanaël said after a few seconds of silence. 'Do you have any hobbies besides stitching up people?'

'Does it matter?' I asked him.

'It helps distract me from the pain' he said with a hitched voice as I stabbed my needle in a particularly hard place to get at. I was half way done and he already was clutching the bed frame so hard his knuckles were white; I guess some talk wouldn't help.

'I like to sew actually' I said cheerfully, 'I'm planning on being the palace seamstress someday'

'That sounds hard' Nathanaël said with gritted teeth.

'It is' I said nodding, 'I've been working as an assistant for the current seamstress for years now and she barely trusts me to hem old dresses!'

'That sounds annoying' Nathanaël said sympathetically, 'But at least you get to do what you want, I'm still locked in the glass house that kills more people then helps'

'What would you like to do then?' I asked, turning his shoulder slightly so I got a better angle of his back. He shivered under my touch, his voice coming out more husky then before.

'I like to draw' he said softly, 'I have filled books up with my drawings and now I don't know what to do with them!'

'You could show them to me?' I said smiling as I finished the last stich. 'It's no use keeping drawings hidden away from the world, it just makes them sad'

'You act as if they have feelings' Nathanaël said smiling as I helped him to sit up.

'Don't they?' I asked as I passed him his shirt. 'If they were drawn with emotion then what is to say they didn't absorb it?'

He looked at me in wonder just as the curtain was ripped back to show a familiar face.

'Nino!' I said surprised, standing up and walking over to him, blocking his view of the partially naked Nathanaël. 'What are you doing here?'

'I was sent to get you by Tikki' he said smiling. I sharply inhaled and just managed to disguise it as a sniff. Tikki only calls for me in emergencies!

'Thanks Nino' I said brushing a huge fake smile onto my face, Nino smiled back, his eyes sliding over to Nathanaël as he pulled on his coat. 'Who's this?' he whispers to me, amusement flickering in his eyes.

'My name is Nathanaël' Nathanaël said, standing up and walking over. 'Who are you?'

'This is Nino' I said quickly, trying to hurry this up, 'He's in love with my best friend'

Nino blushed a bright red and opened his mouth like a gaping fish. I smirked back and brushed past him, Nathanaël followed me silently.

'Take it easy until next week' I told him as I washed my hands in a basin. 'Make sure someone looks at your back every night to see if the stiches have popped, if that happens come back here and I will have to redo all of them! Also it takes about two weeks to heal enough to take the stiches out so come back then'

He nodded and watched me as I untied my apron and hung it on a hook on the wall, as quickly as I could without it seeming noticeable.

'Can I see you again?' he asked quietly as he fell into line beside me as I walked out of the room.

'Why?' I asked confused, my mind already thinking about preparing for the battle ahead and not understanding why he would want to see me of all people!

'To show you my drawings' he said quickly, looking away.

'Sure' I said without thinking. 'Meet me here tomorrow after my shift ends'

'Wont your family mind me keeping you?' he asked softly.

'They won't mind' I said my smile fading slightly.

'Will your boyfriend mind?' he asked shyly.

'Don't have one' I said shrugging. Nathanaël beamed back.

'So tomorrow?'

'Yes' I replied quickly. 'it will be nice to see someone else's drawings for once!'

'You draw!' he said astonished. I laughed.

'Of course, how else will I design my dresses! I have to go now Nathanaël, but we shall continue this tomorrow, promise!'

I waited for him to nod before beaming at him and running off, smiling slightly as I went.

'Why are you smiling so bright?' Nino demanded as he appeared next to me out of thin air.

'No- Nothing' I said startled. 'How did you get here so fast?'

'No one knows the castle like me!' he bragged as he followed me into the little store room behind the workroom of the Royal Palaces seamstress. 'I also came past the young man you were tending too, he looked quite happy with himself as he hurried off'

'He did!' I said startled.

Nino laughed, 'In love are we?'

'You would know enough about that' I said playfully, picking up a bundle of black material I had left here before as an excuse to being here. The real reason was because there was a small trap door hidden in the corner that leads to the hide out below the castle, but I couldn't use that with Nino here. I did actually need the material thou, I had to make a few mends on both of our costumes, being a crime fighter does mean the occasional cut and tear.

'That's why I am here actually' he said, catching my arm before I could leave to go find another secret door. 'I want to make things with Alya official!'

'You want to marry her!' I squeaked, forgetting about why I was hurrying. 'But your only 15! That's so young!'

'It's not that young' Nino snapped, 'and I don't want to marry her!'

'Then what?'

'We never really talk about these things. We flirt and we kiss sometimes, but I don't know if- '

'You don't know if she loves you like you love her' I said understanding.

Nino nodded and looked away.

'Nino' I said softly. 'Alya loves you more than you think, she is always talking about you and she has never looked at someone else the same way! But Nino, Alya doesn't say I love you like normal people do! She has seen it from her mother how cruel men can be so she is careful about these things. Do not rush her into saying it but whatever you do don't give up on her. You will get there one day!'

'How do you know this Marinette' he whispered to me, despair filling his voice. 'What if she never loves me!'

'Oh Nino' I said sadly, pulling my sort of friend into a hug. 'Don't doubt yourself, Alya loves you, you just need to look closer'

'Thank you Marinette' he said, hugging me back. 'You're a good friend'

I laughed, but then the door opened and I stopped instantly. It was Tikki.

'Marinette' she said angrily, 'Here you are! I have been looking everywhere for you!'

'Sorry Tikki' I said quickly as Nino and I jumped apart. 'I'll see you later' I told Nino as I rushed out of the room, 'Good luck! You can do it'

Nino smiled nervously as Tikki shut the door in his face and pulled me by the arm down the corridor.

'Where are we going?' I asked her confused. 'The door was in the storage room'

'We will take another' Tikki said stiffly her eyes flickering to me. 'You won't need that' she snapped, taking my fabric from my hands and placing my red mask in them instead.

'What's wrong?' I asked her quietly as I pocketed the mask.

'There is an unknown ship docking in the palace harbour, my spy's tell me it is a missing ship of the Royal Navy full of gun powder stolen by pirates a few months ago, if you don't act soon they will blow up the palace and all the people inside'

'Damn' I said softly as we stood in front of a purple tapestry in a deserted corridor.

'Stand there' Tikki commanded quietly as she pulled the tapestry back to show a plane brick wall. I stood close to the wall where she pointed just as she pushed into the brick wall, making one brick give way and fall back into the wall. The floor started to vibrate and an entire section of the floor gave way on hinges to blackness. A section of rope fell from the ceiling into the new hole in the floor, coming out of thin air.

'It's an old castle' Tikki said as she noticed my flabbergasted face. 'Lots of hidden passages people forget about'

'That amazing' I said looking down the hole to see what was underneath, but it was too dark.

'No time for that' Tikki snapped, 'Climb down and take two lefts until you get to a dead end, just nock three times on the wall and Plagg will let you threw. You should know your way from there'

'Aren't you coming?' I asked confused. She shook her head.

'Someone has to stay behind to close up the exit' she said scowling at the rope. I wonder what it has done to offend her?

'Don't worry about me' Tikki snapped. 'Get going, and put your mask on' she added.

I nodded, snapped the mask into place and slid down the old rope into darkness. As soon as I let go I looked up and saw it diapered back into the ceiling by some un-seen force and the floor reclosed leaving me in darkness.

'Great, just great' I muttered as I started off in a direction I hoped was left. 'I can totally see in the dark, don't worry about me wondering around in these dark tunnels, I won't get lost at all!'

I walked with my hand pressed against the wall, stumbling threw the dark for a good twenty minutes before I realised I was lost.

'Why did this happen to me?' I muttered as I started kicking the wall randomly. Mostly out of frustration but partially because there were secret tunnels all over the place that you can open by pressing on the right section of the wall, and maybe, just maybe I could get lucky and open one. I gave up hope on that plan after about five minutes.

'This is just sad' I sighed to myself as I leant against a mossy part of the wall, I screamed as it gave way.

'Why didn't I find this before I nearly broke my toe' I muttered as I pushed myself up off the floor. I looked up to a dimly lit room with sunlight reflected around the place by mirrors in a pattern so confusing I didn't know where the light started. The heavy stone walls were lined with book shelves that were full of every type of literature known. Scrolls tied with string sat beside parchment bound in leather, wooden slates inscribed with Greek words lay in rows with Latin looking books leaning against them. The room radiated knowledge.

I picked up a nearby book hastily shoved into the book shelf near the door. It was old with a velvet cover that was stained with age and someone had scratched off one of the words, and thankfully, it was in a language I could read.

'le journal de - Antoni'

Was inscribed in gold paint on the front, 'the Diary of *something* Antoni'. I frowned at it, gears in my brain slowly forming an idea.

'I'm sure I have heard this name before' I said to myself as I opened the front cover.

'What are you doing here!'

I gasped and dropped the book as I turned around to see an old man with black hair standing in the door way. He looked furious.

'Who are you?' I asked quickly, backing away from him as he stepped closer. I was wearing my mask, but had no weapons. If he had a problem with Ladybug I was screwed.

'I am Plagg' he said stiffly, 'and you are late!'

Oh, it's Tikki's friend. The only other person who knew who I really was being my mask. I knew Plagg worked in the castle, but I had never seen him before! This was a big castle after all, and even after living here for most of my life I still meet new people every day.

'I got lost' I said lamely.

He stared at me, his jaw twitching. He looked emotionless, but I could tell he was very mad about something. I wonder what had gotten him, and Tikki, into such fowl moods today?

'We must go' he said suddenly. 'I will take you to the hide out'

He waited for me to exit the room before he turned around and marched off into the darkness, leaving me to run and catch up.

'So Plagg' I said as I stumbled over something in the dark. 'How long have you known Tikki'

He stopped in his tracks and turned to me, his eyes shining dangerously in the dark.

'How much do you know about me?' he asked softly. I shrugged.

'Not much. I know that you and Tikki know the tunnels better than anyone else alive. I know you know the real identity of Chat Noir, and I know you had the masks in your possession before this for mysterious reasons'

I heard him give a sigh in relief before he turned and marched off again.

'Are you not going to answer my questions?' I asked him annoyed. 'Tikki never answers my questions either'

'That is because sometimes the answers are too hard to think about' Plagg said stiffly.

'What does that mean?' I asked annoyed. 'I hate it when Tikki does this, just sets me up for questions that she leaves in my mind to fester. If the answers are so painful why would she want me to think about the questions in the first place? Why involve me in something left unfinished?'

'Because a new Ladybug and Chat Noir were needed'

'There was a first Ladybug and Chat Noir!' I asked amazed.

'Where do you think we got the masks from?' Plagg said amused.

'Were you the first Chat Noir?' I demanded, catching his sleeve.

'No' he said tugging out of my loose grip, 'But I was friends with him'

'Did they fight crime?' I asked excitedly.

'No' Plagg said slowly. 'They did something more dangerous'

I wanted to ask him more, but he then turned sharply to face the wall beside him and nudged it with him foot. The wall of solid rock split in two, opening out into a long tunnel that I recognised instantly from its metal hooks and heavy wooden door.

'Here you go' he said pushing my roughly inside, 'go to the docks once you are ready, don't let anyone see you'

And with that he shut the hidden stone door in my face.

* * *

Wow, long one right?

Now this chapter is when i started writing in the plot of this story, so pay attention my young friends.

Also, something you should know is that in this story Marinette, Adrien and the rest are 16 years old, BUT, since this is set in a time where girls are married by that age i would say they are dealing with issues someone in their early 20's would face.

i will be posting soon, so bye for now, not forever.


	4. To explode or not to explode

I was not in the mood for this. Being woken up after only two hours of sleep and expected to act normal is troublesome enough, but then I was bombarded with questions all day by the Countess Chloe to an extent that I wished I had not of saved her from those bandits, I didn't tell her this of course, I was being watched carefully by my father at all times when I was in the presence of the Countess, which just gave me a bigger thing to worry about at the time, so you could say I defiantly was not in the mood for this spy work as I crept silently along the docks, hiding in the many shadows in the night whenever someone walked close. I kept a keen eye out for Ladybug, hoping I could get a battle strategy out of her before we start fighting.

I quickly dived behind a crate of netting as two sailors walked past, in the dim light streaming down from the palace windows above I saw was shorter and leaner than the other and had very red hair, while the other seemed to be middle aged and was balancing a cigarette between his teeth.

There was something VERY familiar about the man who was smoking.

Sticking to the shadows of the massive boats that lined the peer I followed them stealthily as they headed to a massive boat mooring at the end of the dock, slightly apart from the rests of the boats. I was forced to lower myself under the dock to stay unseen, swinging from beam to beam like a gymnast to stay within ear shot.

'So how is you're back feeling?' one asked another, cigarette man was talking, I think.

'Its fine now, a pretty nurse sewed it up pretty tight'

'Pretty nurses always help' cigarette man said playfully. 'Did you get her name?'

'Marinette I think' said Red.

I froze, one foot hooked over a support beam and both hands gripping long nails that stuck out of a nearby pillar. Did Marinette know Red was friends with an attempted kidnapper that was about to blow up the palace? Was she part of this? Whatever this was. The amusing girl I talked to this morning defiantly didn't LOOK like someone part of a terrorist attack.

'Never heard of her' Cigarette man said. 'And I know ALL of the nurses in the hospital, one way or another!'

I swung myself to where the boat and the dwarf were gently bumping against each other and peaked up at them threw the gaps in the gangway. Red was smiling sheepishly while rubbing his neck and cigarette man was smiling widely back. If it wasn't for the smell of gun powder wafting from the boat behind me, I would have left the two guys to do what men do, talk about girls, but circumstances were not in their favour.

'She's the Asian girl'

'Oh right, Miss Pigtails. I remember her now'

'She's amazingly pretty' Red said smiling wider as his eyes misted over. 'And she gets it, she gets the discrimination in there, I think if we told her about this she would join us'

'But how do you know?' Cigarette man asked sceptically. 'She's friends with the Prince, I saw her talking to the Majesty this morning, she even convinced him to raise some water from the bloody well'

I got two things out of this sentence, One, these men must really not like the Royals, for he said 'The Majesty' like someone would say 'The Rash' or 'The substitute teacher', and Two, I was being followed!

How much did they know?

I looked at Red intently, he was scowling down at his shoes, obviously displeased at this news.

'Think about the Bluestockings later' Cigarette man said thumping his friend on the back. 'We have work to do'

They turned and I ducked back down, my hand slipped from its grip. I almost yelped as I swung back and forth by my legs. My hat fell off and I grabbed it quickly on my way past.

'Do you hear that?' Red asked as they paused above me.

'Hear what?' Cigarette man asked in a bored voice.

'A splashing noise… and a creak'

'We are literally standing on a dock right now dude. Next to the sea! What do you think you were going to hear?'

'Shut up' Red snapped as they climbed onto the boat.

'What did I miss?'

I swallowed a scream as I turned around to see Ladybug hanging by her hands next to me, her feet just barley skimming the water.

She saw my clenched mouth and wide eyes and tried not to smile. I scowled at her for finding my terrified expression funny.

'Sorry' she said, releasing one hand and offering it to me so I could reach up and grab a hand hold.

'You are late' I whispered to her furiously as I gripped the same plank she was holding one handed.

'I was held up' she whispered back apologetically as I released her hand. 'Plagg is pretty nice by the way'

She saw my horrified expression in the dark and smiled apologetically AGAIN!

'I'll tell you later' she whispered to me smiling. 'But right now we need to get the men off the boat and tell the Kings guards about the gun powder, they are always discreet with these things'

'But are we going to be discreet?'

'How many men was there?'

I thought back to all the men walking in the direction of the boat, and damn, that was a lot.

'Too many'

She huffed.

'This is going to be hard, don't bother with being quiet, just get up there and get on my tail, you ready?'

I nodded. She smiled and swung herself from plank to plank like a professional while I followed, not so professionally. I saw her push off the boat with her feet and roll up onto the dock. It was a matter of seconds before the first man yelled and fell with a thud onto the wood, she was on her third victim when I finally managed to pull myself up and enter the fight with my trusty sabres that had been strapped to my side. The men had been in the process of unloading the barrels of powder and piling them up against the side of the castle wall, which made me furious! For one reason, there was meant to be a guard present, meaning they had been bribed, for another reason, this was the south end of the palace which was where a majority of the living courters of the staff where. All this was going to accomplish was kill the innocent!

I saw Red and cigarette man sneak off the boat and run away to the left, I started off in their direction but a man appeared out of nowhere and gave me a right hook that sent me wheeling back into Ladybug's side who was still fighting ferociously with her whip.

'Where were you going?' she asked as we fought back to back.

'Saw the two leaders running away'

'Cowards' she hissed as she got hit in the ribs with a boat ore.

We fought in silence as man after man came after us and failed, it was only when there were barely a dozen men left when things got dangerous, because it was then that they realised they were losing.

'Their lighting the barrels' Ladybug muttered to me.

'What?'

'They are LIGHTING THE BARRLES' she yelled as she broke the nose of some unfortunate.

'Shit' I said, looking over to see they were in deed, going to blow up the barrels ahead of time.

'Move on three?' Lady asked as she lent on my back and double kicked someone in the jaw.

'Three' I said before we both catapulted ourselves over the heads of the remaining men with an impressive series of back flips and dive rolls. They had set it up with five fuses heading towards three barrels stacked together, all the fuses had been lit, meaning fifteen barrels of gun powder was about to explode in less than two minutes.

We managed to kick out four of the five fuses, but for the last one, we were too late. I looked at Ladybug and she caught my eye, I saw my fear reflected in them, so without thinking I picked up the three barrels about to explode and sprinted towards the water.

* * *

He had taken two steps away from the water that he had flung the explosives into when they explode, making the section of wooden planks he had been standing on collapses underneath him and sending him tumbling into the water. I sprinted towards him and peered down at the water, just in time to see him disappear into the shadowed water, being pulled quickly down by a sinking support beam. Without thinking I shoved my whip into my belt and dived in. It was hard to see in the dark water, it was hard to swim in my heavy cloak, it was especially hard not to waste precious time and air by panicking, the only thing that kept me going was the small glimmer of light shining off Chat Noir's sword. In the dim light I saw Chat's cape was tangled around the beam and he was struggling feebly to free himself as he was dragged down by his throat, but as I watched, his movements became still and a stream of bubbled floated away. Oh God.

I gave one final lunge threw the water and by some miracle of god, managed to snag hold of his sleeve. I grabbed his sword that had floated out of his loose grip and with one swipe of his sabres cut the tangled fabric in two, successfully freeing him. I looped an arm around his ribs and pushed off the wooden beam towards the surface. Acid was climbing my throat and pain was shooting threw my brain, my legs felt like cement blocks and I couldn't feel my fingers.

I was drowning!

But then there was air! I coughed down the sweet, sweet substance as I pulled Chat Noir to the rocks that lined underneath the back of the pier, sticking to the shadows as strong light streamed through the many cracks in the wood. People were drawn to explosions like that! But I ignored them, for Chat Noir was not moving!

'Chat' I whispered to him as I pulled him onto solid ground by his arm pits. 'Come on my stupid cat, wake up'

I threw down his sword and ripped off my right glove, placing my bare hand to his mouth, as no breath tickled my fingers I started to panic.

'Come on Marinette' I told myself as I tried not to scream. 'You're a bloody nurse; you know what to do!'

And I did, I have seen the doctors in the hospital do this many times, and only SOME of the people died afterwards.

'Don't think like that' I scolded myself as I loosened Chat's cloak from around his neck that was rubbed raw from where the fabric had dragged him down.

I unbuttoned his vest with trembling fingers and pulled down his green tunic to show his pale chest with two brown freckles on the collar bone. I placed my ear to his chest, it was as still as a stone.

'You shall not die on me Chat' I demanded as I placed both hands over his heart and started pressing in beats of ten. 'I forbid it' I told him as I took a deep breath blew it into his still mouth.

'It would be criminally unfair' I sobbed out as I started pounding at on his chest again, tears streaming down my face now. 'To leave me all alone, now of all times'

He answered by suddenly flailing his arms around and rolling on his side to throw up an insane amount of water, but I started sobbing as if he had just proposed.

Without thinking I pulled him to me, cradling his torso in my lap as I pressed my fore head to his, letting my tears fall onto his thick blond hair that was already saturated.

'My Lady' he rasped out weakly as he struggled to open his eyes.

'Don't you ever do that to me again' I sobbed holding his tighter. 'You died Chat! I nearly lost you'

'But you bought me back' he whispered, which was probable as loud as he could get. 'I'm here Ladybug, I won't leave you, I promise'

'You better' I said, smiling weakly. He laughed and raised his hand to my face, brushing away my tears, but more quickly took their place.

'Don't cry for me My Lady' he said softly.

'I'm crying for you cloak Chat' I told him with a small smile. 'I had to rip it in half to get you out'

He laughed again.

'What about my hat?' he asked me with concern. I laughed and held it up for him to see, his face broke into a wide grin at the sight of his soaking wet, dented mess of a hat with its three green feather hanging limply from it.

'I never got why you liked that hat so much' I said smiling as I sat up and gently lowered him to the ground.

'Don't leave me!' he said desperately, gripping my arm feebly.

'Never' I told him gently as I got up to grab his sabres before it fell off the small rock we were sitting on and stabbing it into my belt.

'We need to get out of here before the tide comes in' I told my partner as I helped him to sit up.

'I don't think I can walk yet' he said softly.

'No, we need to get out of here now'

the water had already reached out ankles.

'It's not far'

I practically had to carry him over the rocks under the dwarf, and with him leaning heavily on my shoulder it took us a long time to go a short distance.

'Where are we going?' Chat asked in a weak voice.

'Want to see how I got under the wharf without you noticing?' I asked him, panting slightly,

'Always' he whispered back just as I dragged him over to a large rock covered in sea weed. But it wasn't a large rock, it was a hidden door with a large clump of sea weed hanging from it.

'How do you know this?' Chat asked me as I shouldered the door open.

'I know everything and nothing at the same time!'

He looked at me questioningly.

'Plagg' I grunted out, my arms starting to tremble from the strain.

'Why did he tell you and not me?' Chat asked as I closed the door behind us with great difficulty.

'Tell you later'

I was breathing hard by the time I finally got threw the labyrinth to our hide out. When I placed Chat on the flour beside the door I simple had no strength but to sit down next to him and try not to pass out.

'Are you hurt Ladybug?' Chat asked as I lent on his shoulder, too tired to care.

I shook my head weakly. 'Just tired' I muttered softly as my utter exhaustion caught up to me.

Chat relaxed slightly next to me, his head sliding so it rested on top of mine.

I just wanted to go to sleep right here and now so badly, but I had a slight draw back. I was soaking wet and chilled to the bone, the cut on my head I had been ignoring all this time was starting to sting from the salt water and I had sea weed in my hair and under my nails and I was sitting next to a boy who is NOT OF MY FAMILY in a dark secret room no one knew about, but I decided to ignore this since I had just fought a **SMALL ARMY**! Then I had to go deep sea diving on an autumn night in heavy leather boots and a cape for my nitwit of a partner who then emotionally exhausted me by being dead for a full two minutes! Not to mention I spent the entire day in the hospital with back breaking work. Besides, I trusted Chat Noir with my life, I guess I could trust him not to try anything for a few hours as I slept.

With my last strength I looked up at my partner to see he was already fast asleep, adorably so. I smiled as I reached up and straitened his mask, brushing his wet fringe off his face.

'Why couldn't you be this cute all the time?' I asked him before settling down beside him, and thankfully, falling into the embrace of sleep.

* * *

I woke up freezing, and tired. So, so tired. Oh right, I died, I had a reason to be tired. I moaned and with heavy fingers took off my sodden hat and mask to wipe the salt and other crud off my face, but as I raised my left arm I discovered there was something lying on it, or someone actually. It was Ladybug, sleeping soundly with her head resting on my shoulder.

I screeched.

She moaned and rubbed her closed eyes, leaning away from my loud noise of surprise and slid down the wall so that she was lying on the floor. I watched her with wide eyes as I hesitated weather to put my mask on again or not, but I was pretty sure she was asleep again! With trembling legs, I stood up and picked up my sabres from where it was lying next to us, as my gloved fingers touched the smooth metal again a mixture of memories flashed through my mind causing me to drop it with a loud clang.

Red.

Cigarette man.

Marinette.

Barrels of gun powder.

Explosion.

Water…...

Ladybug!

She had saved me from drowning, she had held me as I calmed my breathing and then carried me to safety while I was still too weak to move, then she had stayed with me, trusting me as she slept. I was a fool to ever think she would leave me. As I smiled down at her I realized something, it was candle light I was standing in! I looked up to see a fiery light streaming through the water from the bridge, which was odd since they never lit the torches on the bright except for in emergencies.

'It's the explosion'

I jumped around to see an old woman standing in Ladybug's doorway, I gasped and hurriedly raised my mask to my face.

'Don't bother' the woman said with a laugh. 'I already know everything Your Highness'

I swallowed. So this must be Tikki.

'What about the explosion?' I asked her cautiously.

'It shook everyone up, now the palace is on high alert. Don't worry' she said as she saw my relief, 'You saved the day' The old woman glanced behind me at Ladybug's still form, her eyes narrowing with concern.

'What happened?' she demanded as she brushed past me.

'She saved me' I said softly as Tikki knelt down besides Ladybug.

'And now she's asleep?' Tikki asked as she stroked a hand across her young friend's forehead. I nodded.

'Best you go now Sir Prince' Tikki said not looking up from Ladybug. 'It is almost sunrise and you need a bath'

'What about- '

'I will look after her' Tikki snapped, glaring over at me, I saw sadness in her eyes as she glanced over my face.

'You look much like him' she murmured softly.

'My father' I said bitterly. Many people say that about me, and I wasn't particularly proud of it.

'No' Tikki said looking quite serious. 'Your grandfather, King Antoni'

I stared at her shocked. No one spoke about my Grandfather! His very name was taboo in the royal circle, I was scolded for even mentioning him around my father. The fact that she even mentioned him shocked me so much I could think of nothing to do except turn and exit the room, leaving puddles as I went. Numbly I bumped into Plagg half way up the passage, we looked at each other in silence for a few seconds before he sighed and put an arm around my shoulders while tugging my mask out of my hands with the other one before leading me gently back to my bed room.

'A bath would be wise' he told me as I collapsed onto a nearby chair and pealed my damp gloves off my pruned fingers.

'What happened tonight Sir? Why are you wet and look like your about to drop dead?'

'Because I did' I told him plainly as i rubbed my eyes.

Plagg looked at he, his eyes plainly saying 'Wat?'

'I died' I told him dramatically.

'How?' Plagg asked unimpressed.

'Those men were going to blow up the servant quarters of the palace with the stolen gun powder, I had to throw a few barrels into the harbour and the wharf I was standing on collapsed underneath me, I was pinned down by a huge log'

'And Ladybug saved you?' Plagg asked, pausing as he poured hot water that appeared out of nowhere into my grand marble tub.

I nodded tiredly. He smiled and quickly tried to hide it.

'So what else did you learn tonight?' Plagg asked quickly changing the topic.

'I heard two men talking before the fight, one had red hair and the other was the man from before who set the visiting Countess's carriage on fire. Red was talking about a nurse in the hospital and how he wanted her to join them, but I have no idea what he wanted her to join! Plagg, I think these events are happening for a reason!'

'We need to talk to the nurse, try and get her to be our spy before they drag her in too deep' Plagg said immediately as he finished with the bath and motioned for me to get up. 'Do you know her?'

I nodded as I peeled off my already unbuttoned vest and green tunic.

'Good, talk to her in disguise tomorrow, we need her to trust us before she trusts them'

'Who is 'them' Plagg?'

'I don't know Sir Prince' Plagg said shaking his head slowly, before suddenly asking 'Did she say how?' as he exited the room.

'How what?' I asked exhausted as I wiggled out of my boots.

Plagg's voice wafted through the door-way as my trousers soon followed, saying 'How she saved you'

'No she didn't' I said suspicious as I sank into the warm water.

'You should ask her next time' amusement painting his voice as he strode back into the room to collect my dripping clothes, tactfully avoiding his gaze from my direction.

'Why does it matter?' I asked him as he left the room again.

'Do you know what CPR is Sir Prince?' Plagg called out mischievously.

'No' I said suspiciously.

'Then you should ask tomorrow in the hospital Sir Prince' Plagg called softly. 'I shall be leaving now for I have matters of my own to attend to' he said more loudly. 'Can I trust you to dress yourself once done with your royal bath'

'Just go already' I told him as I sank lower into the water.

And he left, leaving me along with my thoughts and feelings of what had happened this night, and what will happen in the future.

* * *

'You look exhausted' Tikki told me as she brushed my black hair gently.

'I am exhausted' I told her as I pulled down the sleeves of my work dress.

'I could get you out of work for the day' Tikki told me as she parted my hair in two.

I shook my head slowly. 'I'm meeting someone after work'

'Who?' Tikki asked alarmed. 'Not that boy you were hugging before?'

'No' I said giggled.

'His name is Nathanaël' I told her smiling. 'I met him yesterday at the hospital, he's so polite and he doesn't judge me for how I look like many people do!'

Tikki made pursed her lips and started to tie my hair up with my red ribbons.

'Tell me what he looks like?' She inquired, 'I may know the boy'

'He had long red hair and amazing blue eyes, he's a glass cutter but he wants to be an artist'

'How dreamy' she said sarcastically. I laughed and glanced up at the sky light to see the candles on the bridge dimming in the preparation for the sun rise.

'You can nag me about him later, I have to go to work now' I said, jumping up and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

'Be careful with that boy Marinette' she warned me as I picked up my sodden trousers. 'And leave those wet clothes to me, I'll wash the lake stink out of them'

I gave her a warm smile and dashed away. The bakery would be full by now so I paused momentarily in my hallway, wondering where to go now, so with a smile, I decided to go explore via the new exit Plagg showed me.

I lit a candle I found in a random corner and started walking randomly around the catacombs, kicking random walls and prodding random rocks, and by some miracle, found myself at the library again! It was darker now than before, making me guess that the light reflected was from a fire only lit at night, and not so much in the mornings. 'The journal of *something* Antoni' was where I dropped it last night when Plagg startled me, so with hesitant hands I picked it up again.

Flickering threw the first few pages I marvelled at the neat hand writing inside, this was obviously written by someone who knew the art of the pen well. Then three things happened at once, One, the light reflected in the mirrors went suddenly out, leaving me in a little halo of light from my candle, Two, a rat as big as a small dog ran out of the dark, screaming, towards the only light remaining making me, Three, throw my candle at the rat in part defence part shock, causing the only source of light to roll away into a puddle leaving me in total pitch black.

'Nice one Marinette' I told myself to distract myself from my own panic, 'you totally handled that situation properly'

The words had barely left my mouth when light illuminated up the room again, but this time, it wasn't the flickering of a candle, it was sharp and bright, it was sunrise!

'I am so late' I worried out loud as I turned to leave, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw the patterns of the light reflected on the wall. It was a heart, made of pure and strong, standing out like a flame against the plane cream brick next to the door.

And there was something shining in the middle of it!

I walked over and reached out to touch the shining centre of the heart, only to find it was glass! Someone had removed a brick here and replaced it with a glass box painted to look like brick in the dark.

'This is amazing' I told myself as I inched the glass box out of the wall, but the years of neglect and dust did not help my job. After a few minutes I gave up and smashed the front of the box with a rock, reached inside to find several letters that smelt like dust and lavender. I was just grasping around for the last letter when the light in the room went out, again! I flinched at the sudden darkness and jerked my hand against the broken glass box as I hastily extracted it from the wall, successfully cutting a long scratch across the back of my hand. After a few seconds a feeble light floated into the room, much dimmer than last time, but I got the message, I was now very, very, VERY late! I stuffed the letters into the diary and ran from the room to spend the next ten minutes trying to find some exit I had a faint idea where the location was, but somehow I found it, the little hatch door disguised as an air vent in the Palace wall where the western side and the Sothern side met. I closed the hatch behind me and tucked the book into my dress pocket before sprinting to the south, just meeting Alya as she just finished her job at the well.

'Well well well' Alya said as I skidded to a stop next to her, panting hard. 'Look who we have here?'

'No puns' I gasped to her, bracing my hands on my knees. 'I beg of you!'

'You have no right to deny the puns since you did not come home at all last night!' she said coldly.

'Alya' I said trying to breath, but she cut me off.

'You made me worry Marinette' she snapped as she started pacing in front of me. 'Which you KNOW I do not take kindly! You should have at least told me you were working late instead of leaving me in the dark! What would your mother say!'

She stopped quickly as we both flinched, but that wound was long healed and no longer hurt at small comments such as this.

'And worst of all' she said a bit softer. 'You made me do extra work! '

'What- '

She nudged the extra full bucket next to her foot, obviously meant to be mine. I looked at her apologetically as she stared coldly back.

With her eyes on my face I straitened quickly and picket up both the buckets.

'You don't have to do that!' Alya said rolling her eyes.

'You did my work so I will carry yours' I said with a smile as I turned and started walking back to the entrance.

'You going to answer my questions?' Alya asked annoyed as she fell into line next to me.

'It was terrible at the hospital last night' I said automatically, 'and when I got off I realized I had work to do in the sewing room I forgot, and then I–' I bit my lip, something she noticed straight away.

'Marinette' she asked grabbing my arm, 'What HAPPENED!'

'I met someone' I said softly.

'What! Speak up girl'

'I met someone' I told her louder, letting out the massive grin inside me. With all the things that happened last night I didn't have much time to think about Nathanaël, but now that I did, butterfly's exploded in my stomach.

Alya screamed and jumped in front of me to look me dead in the eye, all the worry from before gone.

'Who!' she demanded like her life depended on it.

'His name is Nathanaël' I told her grinning, 'I met him in the hospital when I had to stitch up his back, he's a glass cutter'

'Is he cute?' she asked as we continued our walk, much slower this time.

'Totally' I told her enthusiastically. 'He is so sweet and opinionated, but not in that way that shuts down what you're thinking, it's like he encourages you to think of what's right for others above all!

'But is he cute?' Alya demanded.

'Is who cute?' Nino asked as he appeared next to us.

'Nathanaël' Alya said in a way of greetings.

'That red haired guy from yesterday!' he asked leaning around Alya to see me, I nodded.

'You SAW HIM!' Alya said loudly, grabbing Nino's arm. 'HOW?' she yelled, turning on me again.

'He was there yesterday when I was saying goodbye' I told her quickly to stop her yelling.

'What time?'

'Around dusk' Nino said, trying to reclaim the attention of Alya again. I looked at his face and instantly knew he hadn't talked to Alya yet, he probably chickened out or something.

'I do not see why my love life is so important' I said quickly, winking at Nino. He scowled back. Alya caught the exchange and looked at me confused, I smiled back.

'So where are you two working today?' Nino asked quickly, trying to change the topic.

'I have my apprenticeship at the printing press today' Alya said excitedly. 'What about you guys?'

'I'm helping out in the nursery' Nino said casually, but we both knew he loved working there, making the small children laugh, even if it wasn't the manliest job out there, but I guess it was one of the reasons Alya loved him.

'I have morning shift in the Hospital, afternoon in the bakery getting things ready for tea time, then I will be working late in the sewing room, working on small mends here and there'

'You have it ruff' Nino said sympathetically.

I laughed. 'You say that every morning like your surprised I take the hard shift?'

'He's right' Alya said 'You never have any free time anymore! You need a vacation'

'I need a miracle to get one of those' I told her wistfully as we placed our full bucket with the others against the wall.

And with that we went our separate ways, Alya to go get her hands and dress stained with ink, Nino to go tell stories to the children of the palace about knights and Princesses, and me to go see who popped their stiches in the night.

I knew the way to the hospital like the back of my hand, so I took the time to take the book out a look at it more closely. I opened the front cover and read a small message scrawled on the inside, it said

'Love comes once in a life time,

It starts at birth and starts to wind

It won't come sweet, but bitter like lime

But you must treasure whatever you find

For your love, will shine one of a kind

So bright for some, they might go blind

But a whole kingdom, it would bind

Together at last, worth every dime'

'This is beautiful' I thought to myself. 'Whoever wrote this must of known true love, and its hardships and how sometimes when you are in love all you get is whole lot of ugly coming from a never ending parade of stupid! This poem is telling the reader that love should be fought for and- '

'Marinette!'

I jumped and dropped the book, sending the letters skidding everywhere. I quickly dropped down to collect them all when someone beat me to it, someone wearing a scruffy shirt and jacket with a baker's hat pulled low over his hair that couldn't quite hide all of its vibrant blond locks.

'Prince Adrien' I gasped as he looked over at me as we both crouch on the floor. He caught my eye and smiled.

'Why must the world torment me like this' I thought to myself as my heart twinges with the painful love I felt for him surged forward. Life was cruel that way, even if you were trying to figure out a mystery wrapped in a riddle hidden in a book while suffering sleep deprivation and aching bones from a secret life of fighting crime that no one knew about, life still liked to throw a curve ball in the shape of a PRINCE I have been pining over for years to finally start showing attention to me!

Yeah, life was a bitch that way.

* * *

Oh-Kay! That's all for today. What do you think of this chapter? i like it.

First, i threw a quote from "Hairspray" in there, tell me if you find it.

Second, try and say that last sentence in one breath, go on, i dare you.

and third, there is a lot of hidden details in here that will in later chapters make you go back and groan in satisfactions, the type of groan you do when reading a REALLY good book at 2 in the morning and have to get up in four hours but you still continue to read.

I want to do that with my story, to make the reader THINK and generally feel something. Because isn't that what reading is about? to feel something from the eyes of the characters.

Anyway, that's all from my commentary. i wonder if anyone actually read to the end of this, i don't think so, i wouldn't.

But, i guess you should know, i may post more slowly this week since i have caught up with what i have already written so now i'm just winging it.

Bye my friends


	5. Adrien's day in disguise

'What are you doing here?' she stuttered as she quickly snatched the letters out of my hands and stuffed them into the book she had dropped, I noticed she had a long red cut across the back of her hand but ignored it when I saw her face. She regarded me wearily, like at any moment I might explode, so I tried to smile as politely as possible.

'Are you working in the hospital?' I asked instead as we stood and moved out of the way of a group holding a man on a stretched between them.

'Yes' she said distracted as she watched the group closely, 'I- I should go help'

'But that's why I'm here' I told her quickly, catching her arm before she could walk on. She flinched under my touch and so I let go immediately. 'I need someone on the inside'

'On the inside!' she said confused. 'What do you mean?'

'You know of the explosion attempt last night!' I told her softly, leaning in slightly. Her eyes widened in shock as she nodded quickly.

'What about it?' she whispered back.

'I saw Ladybug and Chat Noir last night fighting, they managed to wound some of the men and I think they are being treated in the palace hospital, I decided to sneak in and see, but I need some help!'

I had been practicing this lie all morning and by the look on Marinette's face, I was doing quite a good job at it too.

'But why?' she asked alarmed, 'I'm sure there is someone else who can go do this, you're the pr- '

I shushed her quickly by placing a hand over her mouth, looking around hastily to see if anyone heard her, but the small number of foot traffic paid no attention to us as we stood together in the corner.

'Prince Adrien!' Marinette said shocked as she pushed away my hand. 'Are you saying no one knows you're here!'

I smiled sheepishly and nodded.

'But there was an attack last night!' she protested, 'If people discover you are missing the palace will go into lock-down! And- '

'I got my friend to cover for me' I told her hastily. 'I promise you won't get in any trouble for me being here, so please, help me!'

She looked at me with wide eyes, and after a few minutes of tense silence she nodded, I breathed out a sigh of relief.

'Thank you' I told her sincerely, she waved my thanks off with her hand.

'I have to go now' she told me as she stuffed the velvet covered book into a hidden pocked in her coat. 'I'm already late'

I nodded and followed her as she rushed down the hallway towards the hospital, when she got there she was greeted by a tall scowling woman wearing an apron with brown stains splattered across it.

'Your late' she snapped at Marinette, who looked down at the ground as if she was ashamed to do such a thing.

'Sorry Madam Magnolia' Marinette said softly, 'I was distracted'

'And while you were distracted' the woman sneered, 'One man bled to death'

Marinette shrunk in on herself, and the woman, pleased to see she had gotten to the girl smirked and turned towards me.

'Who's this?' she snapped, sizing me up.

'He's my cousin' Marinette lied, not looking up from the floor. 'He had a rash and his mother asked me to take him here for it to be checked out'

'I didn't know you had an Aunt!' Magnolia said sceptically. 'And you two don't look like cousins'

'My father was French Madam Magnolia' Marinette said softly.

The woman scowled harder and glanced at me again.

'This rash of yours' she said slowly. 'Where is it?'

'It started out of my feet' I told her as I scratching the back of my neck. 'But then it moved to my back and arms, quite infectious it is, and you do NOT want to get it! Red boils pop up everywhere that quickly turn blue and ooze green pus everywhere, and- and eventually they just explode with blood and – '

'I get it!' The woman said hastily, backing away from me quickly. I glanced at Marinette quickly to see she was looking up at Magnolia nodding sadly, as if everything I had said was true, but as I caught her eye I saw that she was struggling not to smile.

'Deal with him Marinette' the old woman snapped before turning and marching away.

I looked at Marinette with a grin that she returned brightly before hastily looking away.

'So what now?' I asked as I followed her to a small room built into the side of the hospital where she placed her book on a table before laying her coat on top of it.

'I guess you could follow me as I do my rounds' she said uncertain as she tied an old grey apron on and picked up some black thread and some dangerous looking hooked needles.

'I have to sew up the cuts' she told me quickly as she saw my queasy gaze. 'A hooked needle is best for these types of things since its best not to aggravate the wound that much, but- but you can go look around instead' she added quickly, 'My work isn't the cleanest job here and- '

'No its fine' I assured her, not wanted to miss my chance to make her trust me. 'I'm fine with blood, and besides, with your job, you would be working on the people attacked last night' I told her excitedly. She nodded looking relieved.

'Good thing I have your help' I told her smiling, she looked flustered and shocked by this statement. She shoved a broom into my hands not meeting my eyes and walked out, I followed her.

'You don't have to be so scared around me' I told her as I matched her pace, she snorted.

'What!'

'You're the prince' she told me smiling crookedly, 'you could have me beheaded with a wave of your hand! You should be up in your chambers talking to pretty blond nobles and eating expensive cheeses, not disguised as a stable boy in your own hospital talking to a ha- talking to me'

'Why wouldn't I be talking to you?' I asked her amused, she gave me an emotionless look as she reached up and flicked her hair in her twin pony tails.

 _'I don't care that your half_ _Asian'_ I told her in fluid Mandarin as she reached her first patient, the old palace librarian who had split open his thumb on a letter opener and needed stitches.

' _Then you should care that I am a commoner_ ' she replied in the same language. ' _Or that I have no place in your world of Kings and countesses'_

The librarian looked at up both wearily as if he was doubting his sanity, and you don't come across many Chinese speaking teenagers in the Paris Palace so I didn't have to guess why.

' _And yet your helping me more than any Countess'_ I told her softly.

She looked at me strangely as I said that and started talking to the Liberian instead, trying to distract him from the pain.

I watched Marinette treat a few more unfortunate souls in silence, whenever another nurse in a white apron came along I would sweep the floor with my broom until they left, whenever I saw Madame Magnolia I would dive for cover. The seventh person Marinette treated was a small girl who had picked up a red hot sword her father, the palace metal smith had just taken out of the fire. Her hand was cut deeply with the sides burnt red, but she didn't make a sound as Marinette sewed the tender skin together, which was slightly more alarming then if she was screaming. When Marinette and I walked away I couldn't help but break the silence.

'Why was she in the iron smith?'

Marinette shot me a startled look.

'Isn't all children of the staff meant to be in the nurseries or at school, why was she in such a dangerous workplace!' I pushed on.

'Once you are older than three you can't use the nurseries anymore' Marinette said sadly. 'And you have to pay to go to school, which most families can't afford, it's a miracle for some kids to even learn how to read!'

'I was told schooling was dirt cheap at the palace!' I said shocked.

Marinette shook her head.

'To you royalty it would be, but for us working class, its un-affordable with our pay. But, it's better here than most places to be honest' she said shrugging, 'Most of France is half starved and desperate for jobs, no matter how bad the pay, which is why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer'

'Why wasn't I told this?' I asked no one in particular.

'The rich never concern themselves with the troubles of the poor' Marinette said plainly with a shrug as she moved onto a young man with a stab wound in his stomach. He was white as a sheet and sweating heavily, trembling and whimpering where he lay.

'Why is no one treating him?' I asked looking around for the doctors.

'He has been already treated' Marinette said pointing at the red cross on top of the mans bed. 'They have left him to die'

'But at least he should be given some opium to deal with the pain'

'We don't give the opium to the staff' Marinette said sadly.

'At least some alcohol!'

'We don't waist grog on the dead'

She shrugged as I stared at her horrified. 'Palace policy' she said emotionlessly.

I shook my head and sat down on a nearby chair.

'Why would you want to work in a place like this?' I asked her as she started to sew up the man's stomach.

'I don't' she said plainly. 'I was offered this job and I took it because I needed to money, but I don't like it'

'No one would' I said as I jumped behind a nearby curtain as the old hag from before walked past. 'Not with that witch hovering around the place'

Marinette laughed. 'Sometimes I think she's afraid of diseases' she said giggling, which made me laugh too.

' **Marinette**! Why are you laughing!'

We turned to see the scowling lady with the spotted apron glaring down at us.

'No- Nothing Madam' Marinette stammered.

'And you!' she said turning to me. 'What are you doing here? If you are sick you should be over in the disease section, not spreading it too the rest of the hospital!'

'The doctors already said he was fine' Marinette said quickly. 'Just being a drama queen as usual, now he is just keeping me company'

'This is not a family gathering Miss Dupain-Cheng!' the woman hissed. 'Not like you would even know what those are like!'

Marinette flinched violently and I looked at her questioningly, but she just caught my eye and shook her head slightly, a promise to explain latter.

'Leave' Madam Magnolia commanded to me. ' **Now**!'

I looked towards Marinette for help but she just shrugged helplessly back.

'I'll go get the letters I left in your coat' I told her calmly, she nodded slightly as I walked away, dragging my broom behind me. I slipped into the empty room and started pacing. I needed to ask her about the attacks before I leave, and up till now I had just been wasting my time talking about civil matters. No, not civil, what I learnt today about the education system of France was disturbing to say the least, I will have to bring it up with my father! A nurse opened the door and I quickly went over to Marinette's coat and started looking through the book she had hidden there, the nurse looked at me curiously as she picked up some empty bottles and left. Looking as if you belonged in a certain place you weren't meant to be was the key to get out of these situations, if you looked guilty then people assume you are guilty and the whole thing blows up in your face.

A letter slipped out of her book as I held it off the table, and as I reached down to pick it up off the floor I looked at it for the first time. I had assumed it was just some letters to Marinette from someone dear to her, but these letters looked old, like really old! The envelope on the letter I was holding must have been white once, but now it was a dull brown and covered in dust. I turned it over to see who it was addressed to but the only ink mark was a dull red drawing of a spotted beetle in the bottom left corner, I was tempted to re-open it when Marinette hurried into the room, slamming the door behind her.

'Please don't read those' she blurted out as she stopped a few steps from me, obviously debating whether to snatch the book from my hands or not. I quickly held them out to her to take, not liking the panicked look in her eyes.

'What are those?' I asked as she slipped the book into her apron pocket.

'A mystery' she said walking over to a nearby basin to wash her hands.

'What type of mystery' I asked leaning against the table next to her.

'A mystery I found in a glass box hidden in a room I was told not to enter'

'Sounds intriguing' I said, impressed with how complex Marinette is, she doesn't look like a girl who entered forbidden rooms looking for secrets.

She suddenly laughed nervously and backed away from me.

'I don't know why I told you that' she said placing her hands over her eyes. 'I don't even know why I'm still talking to you! You're the Prince!'

She said that like it explained everything clearly and plainly, but it just left me more confused.

'Why does being the Prince matter so much to you!' I demanded striding towards her. 'Being the Prince doesn't change who I am!'

'Yes it does!' she exclaimed loudly. 'It changes everything! You're going to be king one day, you have more power and respect I could ever hope for, I don't even have the right to polish your shoes NOT TO THINK ABOUT talk to you!'

This was getting personal fast. I worry that if I don't do something quick Marinette will never talk to me again unless it is for a command, and I don't want to **command** her to do anything, she is kind and funny and always has more emotion than anyone else in the room, she is a valued friend and I do not want to lose her.

'Why do you think so low of yourself?' I asked loudly. 'Why does this matter to you!'

'Because all my life I have had to worry about this' she replied, turning away from me to pace to the small room.

'So what that you're a nurse and can barely read! None of that matters in life if you – '

' _Not everyone is as nice as you, Sir'_ she said coldly in Chinese.

Oh.

I forgot.

Not everyone was raised by Plagg, not everyone was told that all people are equal, some people still don't see past a person's skin, and Marinette knew this loud and clear.

'And I can read' she said softly before turning to leave.

'Wait!' I called as her hand hovered over the door knob. 'I still need your help!'

'I can sneak you into the hospital' she said not turning. 'But I don't think you should talk to me, if people found out who you are they would not approve!'

'I need your help with something else' I told her, hurt slightly by her words.

'What is it?' she asked turning slightly.

'I lied' I said quickly. 'The reason I came here wasn't to scope out the injured, I'm here for something else about the attacks!'

'What- 'Marinette started, but the door opened and a nurse stood there her arms full of bandages.

'Oh!' the nurse said as she saw us. Marinette quickly hurried out of the room her face burning, and with a sigh I followed.

' _I will be back tomorrow'_ I told Marinette in Chinese as I caught up to her. ' _I will explain everything then, but for now please!'_ I begged catching her hand. ' _Don't trust the man with Red hair, he's up to something!'_

She gave me a look of utter shock before I turned and walked quickly out of the hospital, right into Red.

'Sorry' I grunted, pulling my cap lower over my head and hurrying past, hoping to god he doesn't see me.

'It's alright' he said cheerfully walking inside.

I had failed with Marinette for today, so now on to plan B.

I hurried down the corridor and a few others before I stopped at a small door so old it was stuck closed by rust, or so people thought. I pulled out a thin knife I always carried up my sleeve and wedged it into the wooden panel next to the door, and with a pop, the metal door AND its wooden frame swung forward on hinges. I scurried inside and closed it behind me just as I heard footsteps come round the corner. The room behind the door was small and rectangle, bare of decorations and furniture and the only notable thing in it besides the dust would have to be the massive gaping hole in the floor boards in the far corner. I lowered myself into blackness that filled the hole and once I was hanging by my fingertips, let go. When I hit the ground my legs crumpled beneath me, but I quickly got up again and started sprinting down the pitch black passage until I reached the familiar stream of light that penetrated the darkness. Several spots of light were scattered across a square of ceiling, marking where the opening was that I needed. I jumped and caught a metal handle that stuck randomly out of the roof and with effort, pushed the trap door open. The door opened outwards on the inside of the walls with a walkway just big enough for a skinny man to walk through, or sneak through if he wanted. This particular passage in the walls had a bunch of metal poles sticking out of the plaster as a form of cheap stairs that wobbled and creaked as you scampered up them, they lead to a small air vent that lead over the kitchens, stables and then wove around to at last, the hospital. Roaming the tunnels around and under Paris has been a hobby of mine since I first found them three years ago, but it was still a miracle of god that I discovered the tunnel that lead to the air vents, it never really been useful before despite that I can hear almost every conversation in the palace, but everything had a use eventually. When I reached the hospital I peeked through the air grates and saw Marinette and Red talking close together near the back door of the hospital, and after a moment's adjustments I was right above them, and could hear their conversation perfectly!

'Is your back alright?' Marinette asked shyly.

'It's almost as good as new' Red replied politely. 'Your stitching really is amazing!'

'Thank you'

I glanced down through a hole in the air vent to see the back of Marinette's neck bright red, and felt a twinge of anger, Marinette deserved better then to fall in love with this crook.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, both too shy to say anything.

'Are you feeling okay?' Red asked suddenly. 'You seem out of it today'

'Yeah' Marinette said sadly, 'a fr- acquaintance of mine just dropped by and said some things that startled me and then left before explaining! And it's not like he was meant to talk to me in the first place! He must have better things to do'

'Why do you say that?' Red exclaimed. 'You have every right to have a simple conversation'

'He was- he was a Nobel' Marinette said weakly. I saw Red's hands tighten into fists.

'Did he do anything to you!' He said quickly. 'Because if he did- '

'No, no Nathanaël' Marinette said even quicker, reaching out to grab his sleeve. 'My fr- acquaintance would never do something like that! I promise'

'How are you sure?' Red- Nathanaël, asked skeptically. 'The king and his Nobel lackeys think they can do anything without consequence! They treat everyone below them like dirt!'

'Trust me!' Marinette said soothingly as she put her other hand on his shoulder. 'He will never try that stuff on me, besides, I know how to handle myself!'

'But how do you know that?' Nathanaël pleaded, placing both hands on her shoulders and leaning in just a bit more that I wanted. 'The rich have nothing to stop them from taking beautiful girls like you for themselves, they won't be held responsible like we would!'

'I can't do anything about it Nathanaël' Marinette said sadly, 'I can't stop him from coming and going as he pleases'

Nathanaël sighed and nodded, looking into Marinette's eyes that where very close to his. They jumped apart as they finally noticed how closer they were.

'So, do you like working here?' he asked, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away from her, his face in flames.

'Yeah' Marinette blurted out, her face also bright red.

'R- Really?' he asked taken back. 'I always thought this place smelt like a dead cow in summer'

'You should smell it in summer' she said giggling. 'It smells like the cow shat everywhere before it died and now it's body has been there for so long no one even wants to touch it!'

Pretty boy laughed and lent against the wall behind him, carefully avoiding his back. That's right, cigarette man did say it was hurt.

'So why do you work here?' he asked casually. 'You never told me'

She didn't tell me either.

'Ever since my parents died, I've been living with my best friend Alya with her family paying for everything. I want to be a designer, which isn't cheap, but I don't want them to pay for fabric and everything, so I make due myself'

Her parents are DEAD! I never knew that! Why didn't Nino tell me? Maybe I never asked. A half-blood orphan, that's what she was going to call herself before, that was why she is so nervous around me, because she has nothing to stand on in life, not her parents, not her home, not even her race! She has to make her own path in life while others can just follow the road laid out for them, she had nothing yet she acts like she had everything she needs.

How could I never realize how strong this girl really is?

'I'm so sorry' Nathanaël said quickly. 'I didn't mean to bring up delicate subjects'

'It's alright' Marinette said waiving off his concerns. 'It happened years ago, I'm at peace now'

'May I ask how they died?' he asked softly.

Marinette shrugged. 'Mother was a Chinese baker; father was a French one. When they worked together they made the best croissants in both Asia and Europe, but I guess not even that can stop men with their hate for all things foreign. Father died trying to protect her, in the end he joined her in death. Which is a good thing I guess, he would have felt more pain if they were apart'

The way she said that, so emotionlessly, as if talking about the murder of her parents was nothing to her! My heart ached for this girl and all she has been through, and by the look on Nathanaël face as he looked down at her, I guess his did too.

'Listen Marinette' he suddenly said looking around quickly. 'I want to show you something important. Will you come with me?'

'Now?' she asked shocked.

'Yes, now, before anyone stops us'

'But- Why?'

'Please Marinette' Nathanaël begged, capturing her hand with both of his. 'Trust me when I say you will want to see this! If I know you, and what you have been through, I know you will want to see what I can show you'

'What can you show me?' she asked curious.

'Something that can change your life in a way you would never think possible!'

Marinette didn't answer for a minute, and as she remained silent, I swear the entire palace could hear my heart tearing in two. For is she went, I could follow her and shut down this terrorist group before it hurts anyone else, but if she went she would be in danger, and I don't think I could live with myself if I hurt this girl even more they she already was. But in the end my decision was made when the girl with straight black hair nodded, for it was her decision in the first place, and there was nothing I could do about that now.

* * *

Yeah, this is the end of my 5th chapter.

Wooooo

Wasn't this a tear jerker.

Nah, it's not really, but it is full of minor details and important bonding moments between Adrien and Marinette, so suck it up princess. (Maybe i should add that in the next chapter?)

Yes, her parents died from hate crimes, i did just write that, cause its DRAMATIC!

Also, one of you, i don't know which, asked me when i was going to next post, well, i do post every 3 to 2 days so... yeah.

One last thing before i go, if i you may or may not of noticed, i added a meme in this chapter purely by accident, and was too lazy to change it, but if i find even ONE of you quoting it i will force a feel filled story down your throat until your choking in your own blood and tears.

You have been warned.


	6. No such thing as a perfect man

We ran hand in hand, him guiding as I followed struggling not to fall over in my cheap fabric shoes. What I would give to be wearing my leather boots right now!

'Just a little further' Nathanaël insisted as I stumbled again, smiling as he had to steady me. I giggled and nodded. The excitement and curiosity of what we were doing made the world brighter and a friendlier place, and even running down the back streets of Paris couldn't dampen that.

'Where are we going?' I asked him again as we ran behind a workhouse full of steam and hot irons at work.

'It's a secret' he said smirking.

'Oh can't you tell me? Please' I mockingly begged as I fell into step with him. He was a surprisingly fast runner for a glass cutter, but I could keep up easily regardless.

'Soon' he said squeezing my hand in his which sent butterfly's fluttering around in my stomach.

About 20 minutes later we slipped into the back door of the abandoned library from before, the same one Chat Noir and I had sat above to rest after the carriage Countess fiasco.

I sneezed as we walked into the dust filled rooms that held thousands upon thousands of book waiting to be picked up and read, but instead left to rot.

'Why did they close this place?' I asked Nathanaël sadly as I trailed my fingertips over the spines of the nearby book case. 'This library is amazing!'

And it was true, the high ceilings and long open spaces provided a grand amount of room for the rows upon rows of books in their cases, and before the big sky lights where boarded up, I assume they provided a great light source for reading. I peered up at one of the nearby lights that had several of its boards rotting away, and I swear I saw a flash of gold and green threw one of the gaps, but as I looked again I couldn't see anything but the dust mites that swam in and out of view in the sun light that floated down from the sky outside.

'The King thought our tax money should go to something better' Nathanaël said snapping my attention back to him. 'like a new set of uniforms for his army'

I looked at him horrified, but he just shrugged. It reminded me of before when I had to tell Adrien about the rules of the hospital, it was the shrug you did when you didn't want to voice how helpless you were about these things. An action that was much easier then admitting how far you were under the Kings boot, how everything was just one step to his throne, even your own life.

I looked back at Nathanaël, but as he saw the sadness in my eyes, I saw a glint of pleasure in his, something that was out of place in this scenario, something that made Adrien's confusing words from before float to the front of my mind.

 _'Please Marinette, don't trust the man with red hair. He's up to something!'_

'Yo, Nathanaël good to see you made it'

I whirled around to see a group of men standing in the door way of the library, the sun of their backs and hiding their faces. I backed up a few steps, looking desperately at Nathanaël for an explanation, he smiled reassuringly back as the men laughed.

'So you got her to come! I didn't think you could do it' said the man from before as he stepped forwards. He was smoking a cigarette. And as he took long drags that lit up his face, I saw silver scars had been patterned across his face. They were the scar's seen on prisoners at the palace, the ones guards give out daily at the slightest slip up, the one's I sew up every day at the hospital. The type of scar's I have started to subconsciously hate.

'Rodgers!' Nathanaël said laughing as he stepped forwards and grasped the older man's hand. 'This is Marinette' he said proudly as he turned and gestured in my direction.

'Oh so this is the famous Marinette' Rodgers said as he stepped forwards and shook my hand firmly making me squeak in surprise.

'Look at her boys' Rodgers said as he and the rest of the men laughed heart-fully. 'As scared as a mouse!'

'And who wouldn't' Nathanaël said smiling as he moved to stand beside me. 'With you lot showing up out of nowhere looking all intimidating and dramatic in the door way! It would scare any sensible girl out of their wits'

'That's an understatement' said a woman as she pushed her way through the crowd and elbowed Rodgers out of the way. It my surprise it wasn't a woman at all, but a teenage girl who looked to be the same age as me. She looked at my surprised face and grinned back.

'Hello. I'm Alix, nice to meet you!' she said taking my hand as she talked a mile a minute. 'Don't let these grumps scare you, I bet you could take them down easily!'

'Oh… um, thanks!'

'No problem'

'And don't let her scare you either' said an even smaller fair haired girl as she butted in. 'Alix does this to everyone who's new'

'I do not!' Alix snapped. 'You over exaggerate Rose'

'She does not' a teenage boy said as he squeezed in-between the two. 'At least she isn't right now!'

'Be quiet Ivan' Alix said scowling.

'Guys!' Nathanaël said putting his hand on my shoulder and pulling me to his side. 'Give her room to breathe'

I stiffened under his arm and looked around the room with wide eyes. Everyone was staring at us with open mouths, a few guys at the back where starting to snigger.

'Alright, alright' Rodgers finally said getting everyone's attention. 'Enough of this talk about Nathanaël's new fancy. It's time for the meeting to start!'

The rest of the small crowd quickly filed through the door following Rodger deeper into the library. Looking closer I realised nearly half the group was in fact women, and only 5 or 6 of them where older than 20 with the rest being teenagers. It made me embarrassed to think of how scared I was when I first saw them.

'You seem to be handling this quite well' Nathanaël whispered to me as we waited for everyone to pass ahead of us.

'You have no idea' I whispered back. I looked up at him to see he was smiling back.

'Come on' he said leading me the way everyone else had walked. 'We will explain everything there'

'So you're finally going to explain why you took me here in the middle of my shift and who all those people are and why they all seem to know me?'

He laughed and squeezed me tighter to his side making goose bumps spread out on my arms. He was so warm at my side, so tall, even taller than Adrien I presume. And he smelt so nice, like dust and fire, and something else you would probable find in a glass cutting room, and it was because he smelt so different from the fancy soap that radiated off the Prince in waves, that I didn't say a word as he lead me into a small room full of strangers and secrets and mysteries that reminded my poor heart of nothing of the man who broke it.

* * *

We crowded around a wooden table filled with piles of paper and parchment and other weird objects scattered here and there. Nathanaël and Alix stood at my sides, as silent as everyone else in the room, for we were all waiting for Rodger to give the first word in this mystery.

'When god invented man' Rodgers started dramatically. I glanced at Nathanaël confused but he just nodded.

'He made us all equal! He gave each man a knife and each woman a club and told us to go off and make a life of our own. He intended for us to work together for the greater good and in the end walk back to his side satisfied with what we had done, but then something happened that made him stop and question his ways. It made someone deep down in the ground look up and catch interest at the little pale animals walking around on two legs and calling themselves god. So the devil came up and handed the strongest animal a knife, which changed the world forever. The animal holding the knife believed that this power made him worthy to rule the others, just because he was born lucky he thought all those who were born unlucky didn't deserve the same treatment as he. He treated them like nothing just because they didn't have the same fortune, and in return, god closed his gates forever to those who deserved it or not, and that was how we truly became animals'

I looked around the room wondering just what the hell this was leading up too, but everyone else was just nodding in agreement like he was preaching from the bible, and I guess, in a way, he was.

'Time has passed since then, nations had fallen and other have built over their ashes, and here we are! One animal holding the knife gifted to them by the devil to the throats of another as he stands on the mountain of wealth he has stolen and the power that wealth can buy. And that animal that parades around as a god even if his own god has turned him out, is the King!'

I took a sharp intake of breath and all faces turned towards me, Nathanaël gave my arms a gentle squeeze.

'You're a smart girl Marinette' Rogers said as he looked into my face. 'And I know you already know what I'm about to talk about, I just hope you will give me the grace to finish before you leave!'

They all stared at me, but I only had eyes for Rogers. His face was scared not only from a knife long ago, but also from heartbreak. Sadness pooled in his eyes and dripped into his smile so that no matter how hard he tried I could still see he had been threw great pain, a pain I could relate too in one way or another. I looked around the room and saw pain had touched everyone here in some way, for all had heart break painted on their sleeves. Once I noticed the pain dripping from this room it was impossible to ignore. It froze my legs and clogged my throat, so all I could do in the end was nod for him to continue, for it I was going to stay here, I may as well learn SOMETHING!

'The King lives on a life full of luxury and money. He can have all the food he has ever wanted while we are stuck here in the gutters half starved to death with jobs so dangerous it is a sin to even send a dog to do them! He will never care about what we do with our lives just as long as we don't try and climb as high as he was carried! In his opinion we were born from the same dirt we shall one day lie in and he never wants us to leave it! He thinks, we are born to die! But we deserve better than that! We deserve lives that don't revolve around one day of work after another! Or who to fear or when to hide! No one deserves that, not now not ever! So dear Marinette' he said turning to me once more. 'Will you help us free ourselves from these shackles of poverty he had chained us in!'

'So you where the people who tried to bomb the castle' I said numbly. He nodded.

'You where the people- 'I gasped for breath as tears started to sting the back of my eyes. 'You where the people who was going to kill all the servants of the palace while they slept!'

'We only learnt afterwards that was the palace we were going to destroy' Nathanaël said quietly.

'For once the cat and the bug actually did something right' Alix muttered. A few people shot her an annoyed glance but no one objected.

'So to get this right' I said loudly as I tried to ignore my watering eyes. 'Is that you were about to do a mass act of terrorism and you didn't even think it threw!'

No one would meet my eyes.

'Dear God! You were going to kill the people you are trying to save!'

My voice shook with emotion, practically begging someone to deny the horrifying truth I was declaring.

No one said a word.

'No' I said shaking Nathanaël's hand off my shoulder and backing away from the group. I glared at them fiercely, a bit of my Ladybug attitude seeping into my voice as my horror gave way to anger.

'Your cause may be just, which is the ONLY reason I'm not going to snitch on you all! But I will never help someone who thinks they can stop violence with even worse violence! So unless you all get your shit together and find a way that DOSENT kill the innocent, I am never going to come back here again!'

I turned and stormed out of the room sending up puffs of dust as I went.

'Marinette WAIT!' Nathanaël shouted as he ran after me.

'Please, let me explain!' he pleaded as he grabbed hold of my arm.

'You already explained!' I snapped yanking my hand free and bursting out into the back ally that trails behind the Library. The sun was setting by now and casting both of us in golden rays which reflected in his scarlet hair making it dance like it was made of fire, I hated how beautiful it made him. Someone so beautiful should not be part of something so horrible.

'Marinette I'm sorry' he said softly, 'I never should have bought you here!'

'Just stop!' I told him, scrubbing furiously at the tears that were starting to fall.

Why did I always have to feel such pain! Every time I bare my heart to someone it always ends the same way, them not caring and I caring too much.

Why do I DO this to myself? Why do I always set myself up to fall? Why can't I be happy for once? Don't I deserve that? Doesn't everyone deserve at least a simple form of love? Everyone over the course of history is always saying how much love hurts more than blesses, but I still fall for its charms EVERY BLOODY TIME! I can't keep on doing this! I just can't. It's going to kill me, I might of already.

'You can't tell on us' Nathanaël said quickly. 'If you do, they're going to kill you!'

'I don't care' I snapped at him not even bothering to stop my tears now. 'I simply don't care anymore! Kill me now or blow up my home and kill me then!'

He looked at me shocked but I wasn't done, and neither was the emotional hurricane flying around inside me.

'God, you just HAD to be part of a terrorist group! You HAD to have a psychopathic tendency to BLOW THINGS UP! You know, I really liked you too! You're cute and charming, and seemed to generally care about who I am! So why Nathanaël, why did you have to be part of something so terrible!'

'But were not terrible!' Nathanaël argued. 'I thought you would understand that! You alone have seen how fascist this world is! Everyone knows that the royals are not to be trifled with and that their punishments are insanely cruel! You're a nurse for god's sake, you see the safety cuts they pull every single day despite the people that die from it! Why don't you understand were doing this for the good of everyone!'

'Because ALYA WOULD HAVE DIED!' I yelled back. 'Alya is the ONE PERSON I have left in my life since everyone else who loves me is either half way across the world or dead, and you were going to kill her! You don't know the people you were going to destroy with your consequences! The families you were going to tear apart; the terror you were going to spread! You don't know shit about how serious this is Nathanaël, you're like a boy waving a butter knife around and calling yourself a knight!'

'We are trying to HELP you!' he said desperately.

'And if you had it your way the road would run redder then your hair!'

'Marinette, don't say that!'

'Why? Is your hair that important?'

'Marinette-'

'Listen Nathanaël, I'm not going to lift one finger for your cause unless your promise me no innocent civilian is going to be hurt!'

-Silence-

'I- I can't'

'Then I'm going to go home!'

'Please'

'Goodbye Nathanaël'

'Marinette wait!'

I ignored him and took off in a dead sprint. Wanting to get as far away from him and this god damn library as possible.

* * *

I watched in horrified science as all the dots, one by one, connected into their blood stained picture. It all made sense, but I didn't want it too. It was all so clear, but I didn't want to see it. it was all so fucked up, now that was for sure.

No one at the palace thought about who they stand on to get the view they like to look at. No one thinks about where their food is grown, or how their pretty clothes are made or the chemicals breathed in while workers bleach their corsets and delicate underwear and what not. They treat everyone smaller then themselves like ants crawling around in the dirt, but as I learnt today, the ants like to fight back. I guess no one would stay in the dirt forever, no matter how hard you stepped on them.

I watched Marinette run out of the Library with Red on her heals, I heard their argument and one of her words ran through my mind, creating havoc and uneasiness.

 _'you're like a boy waving a butter knife around and calling yourself a knight!'_

For isn't that who I am? A boy caught up in an event far bigger then my own imagination. This is so much bigger than I thought, than anyone thought, this is an event in the making that could change the history of Paris forever, but what really cause the turmoil inside of my chest, what made my head spin and my eye's unfocused, was one sentence.

 _Should I stop them…..._

 _Or not!_

* * *

Dum-dum-duuuum!

Well, i went there, i did that, i tested the untested! I did THIS!

Cool don't ya think?

Do you know how hard it is to type one handed? My cats hasn't seen me in two days so now he's DEMANDING more pats then i can muster, he's a physio like that, but an adorable one. His name is Vampire, he's black and turned 9 years old last month. i love him because some times he's my very own Chat Noir and other times he's my pathetic drooling attention seeking fur baby. Wow, i wonder if Marinette feels like Adrien's her fur baby some times.

Also, i would just like to shout out to my mum because she helped when my brain could not. My english fail some times.

Thats all, i'll post soon, maybe on Tuesday or something, maybe Wednesday!

Bye my friends.


	7. One small detail

When she took off running I knew I had to follow her. These streets where not a safe place at night for an unarmed teenage girl, especially for one as pretty as Marinette.

So I pushed the storm of emotions and decisions to the back of my mind and climbed down the side of the Library as quickly as I could. Once my feet touched the ground I took off after Marinette, but, damn, she was fast.

It was only because of the light of the streetlamps reflecting in her hair as she fled that I didn't lose her, for she was like a phantom as she ran, not leaving a trace that she had been there and only the quick of eye could even see her in the first place. I followed her as she ran across the deserted streets of Paris in a seemingly random order. She ducked down back alleys, jumped over bridges to the hidden foot paths beneath, at one stage I even caught her running along the rooftops of an apartment building and swing herself back down to ground level using nothing but an old clothes line.

I finally caught her in a deserted back ally blocked at one end by an old cart. She was sitting with her back against the cart, crying her eyes out as she wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to be as small as possible.

I stood at the edge of the ally, unsure what to do, weather I should comfort her or leave her to deal with these emotions alone, but then my decision was made for me as she looked up with a gasp.

'Adrien!' she stuttered, hastily wiping her tears away. 'I'm- I'm just, it's nothing'

'Marinette' I said as kindly as I could, walking towards her slowly.

'No, no really Adrien, I'm fine!' she assured me weakly, attempting to pull a fake smile on that just didn't stick right.

'No human would cry with that much pain if they were alright'

'I'm going to be alright, don't worry' she told me as I sat down next to her, our shoulders brushing as our backs pressed against the cart. She smelt like soap and salt water with a faint tint of flour. She smelt real, like she had done things this week that weren't always sweet and easy, something that needed soap and water to clean or handfuls of flour to bake. It was nice to smell something besides the fake flowery sent all the young Nobel women wore, especially Countess Chloe's favourite rose perfume that smelt more like the horse stables then a rose. I breathed in deeply while trying not to make it so noticeable, and luckily, she didn't.

I looked at the silhouette of her face and saw the tears that where still trailing slowly down her face, making her usually crystal clear eyes red and bloodshot, her adorable button noise was red as well, and with every breath she took a sob was only barley being held back. Anger sparked inside my chest, anger at Red for being such a crook, anger at the man who made Red into such a crook, anger at that unknown group of men who killed the parents of this amazing girl and left her with nothing.

Uncontrollable, overpowering, consuming, surging rage that burned threw my heart, purely because I was mad at the world for hurting this adorable sweet girl who simply doesn't deserve it. No one deserves what she has gone through. No one.

'I know' I told her softly. 'I know about Nathanaël and his plot against the king'

She gasped.

'You were on the roof!' she said, leaning away from me slightly.

I looked her in the eye and nodded.

Shock, horror, surprise and at last awestruck all filtered across her face in turn, and in the end she stared at me with part admiration and part fear shinning threw her eyes.

'What are you going to do?' she whispered leaning closer again, gripping my bicep tightly. 'They want to over-throw your family, are you going to kill them for that?'

'No'

She breathed out a sigh of relief, and released my arm to cup her head in her hands, her elbows planted on her knees.

'Do you love him?' I asked her softly.

'No' she whispered, her voice muffled.

'Then why do you care about him so much?'

'Because I wanted to, I wanted to love someone who was going to love me back, someone kind and caring and wouldn't think twice about another girl weather I was by his side or not. Nathanaël could have given me that and more, so I tried to trick my heart into loving him, and I was bloody close too, but now – 'she trailed off, her unsaid words hovering around us like wasps ready to sting at any moment.

'You love another?' I asked, my chest tightening.

'Yes' she sobbed, her tears falling freely once more.

'But he does not love you?'

'Yes'

So I wasn't the only one who knew about unrequired love. The pain to love one who didn't love you back. For Marinette is was for someone she wanted to forget, for me it was for someone I could never forger in my darkest nightmares.

'It will be okay Marinette' I told her softly as I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 'The pain fades eventually'

'No it doesn't!' she sobbed, pulling away from me. 'It may fade from an open wound to a scar, but unless I find someone to sew it back together it will just reopen over and over again, always there to stop my day with little twinges of pain as little reminders that he will never love me! It may fade one day but it will never leave!'

'I get it' I told her sincerely.

'You have no idea- '

'No really, I know more about this type of pain then you may think! I know that the pain is always there, sometimes you forget about it and your able to be "happy" for a while, but it's so easily to reopen the cut that the happiness never really lasts! I know it takes a miracle for it to heal completely, and even I haven't found my miracle yet, even after four and a half years of this stupid love I have for her, but I promise you Marinette, one day you will find your miracle!'

She stared at me for a second or two with disbelief written all over her face, before a whole new waterfall of tears fell down her face.

'Marinette!' I said shocked before quickly taking out my handkerchief and hastily whipping her tears away.

'I'm okay' she said quickly, taking deep breaths to stop her crying as she took the handkerchief out of my hands with her shaking ones. 'I'm just going through some emotions right now, don't worry Sir Prince, the tears will stop soon'

'Good' I told her softly, entwining our fingers together and squeezing them comfortingly. 'I don't like to see my friends cry'

'Well, isn't this sweet!' said an amused voice loud enough to spit the silence like a knife, exactly like a knife, the large serrated knife in Rogers hand to be exact.

'What do you want?' Marinette growled at the smoking man as I pulled her to her feet via our joined hands.

'You're a smart girl Marinette' Rodgers replied twirling his outrageously large knife around in fingers in his right hand as he pulled a long drag of his cigarette with his left. 'You know something as important as this can't have any loose ends'

'I **swore** to you I wouldn't tell' Marinette yelled as more men with knives appeared behind Rogers, each looking at her with an evil glint in their eyes. 'And I never break a promise!'

'And yet we have proof you did'

'I literally left your stupid meeting 10 minutes ago! Who the fuck would I have told?' she said rolling her eyes and placing her free hand on her hip, I gave her a surprised smirk for her bravery, her lip twitched in return.

'We heard you talking' snapped a female girl as she pushed her way through the small crowd of men until she stood next to Rodgers. 'Don't play dumb'

'Was our talk about me broken heart interesting to you Alix?' Marinette responded. 'Because I don't think that has anything to do with a terrorist attack!'

'This isn't a terrorist attack' Rodger said loudly silencing everyone successfully. 'This is a revolution! Not a complete revolution yet, but a revolution non the less. It will change the very structure of France and will make our lives worth living! It just….. isn't ready yet! So now you, dear sweet Marinette, must die along with your blond friend there!'

'He knows nothing!' Marinette cried as she stepped in front of me, trying to shield ME from the advancing men.

'I told him nothing! You don't have to kill my cousin!'

How the hell did she think of these things under such pressure? She was staring down deaths doors and she still thought of these small loose ends that could be pulled and fiddled into a masterpiece.

'You may not have told him anything!' Alix smirked. 'But we just did'

* * *

Their attack was sloppy, each man ran forwards at once as if they were trying to rush us, but in reality they just got in each other's way so only two or three could attack while the other 8 or 9 hung back and waved their arms around threateningly. So yeah, very sloppy.

Another thing was that they used no attack plan, they just lunged and swiped with their little knives and hoped to hit us since we were backed into a corner, and for any other teenage girl trying to protect the pampered prince, they would have died in five seconds flat, BUT, lucky for myself and the Prince, I was not.

As the first man lunged at me with his knife aimed at my heart years of skill and instinct took over and I kicked the knife from his hands while simultaneously shoving Adrien further behind me and out of the firing line. I caught the knife as it fell through the air and wacked the thug across the jaw with the hilt hard enough to knock him out. Another man leapt at me from my other side, swinging his weapon at my neck and I twirled out of the way with dancer's precision into the path of another would be attacker. I roll dived out of the way, losing my knife in the act, and jumped onto the back of the closest un-expecting man. My momentum sent his stumbling to the ground as I spring-boarded off his back into a back flip that propelled me over the heads of my gaping attackers.

With nimble feet landed on the railing of the cart that trapped us in here and moved, weaving around a knife here and a slightly bigger knife there, towards the corner where the Prince was surprisingly, holding his own.

He had picked up a small thin knife somewhere and was using it with extreme precision as he weaved around the thugs cutting buttons off sleeves and trousers, causing the men to slip on them as they scattered across the grot filled ground, all the while, smiling a Cheshire cat smile. One filled with cunning and wit, one used with someone had the upper hand on something and was enjoying it immensely.

I laughed as I watched Adrien pull the back of a man's jacket over his head and push him head first into his mate sending them both tumbling to the ground groaning, Adrien caught my eye and winked, I smiled in return before I flipped out of the way of a swinging machete, not once losing my footing on the railing as I jumped around it gracefully avoiding the attacks aimed my way.

'Where did a baker girl learn to fight?' Rodgers snarled as he dived at me himself.

'You have no idea' I muttered as I kicked at his face, he grabbed my ankle and pulled me roughly to the ground.

'No seriously!' Rodgers said as I threw a handful of pebbles into his face, he released my foot from his grip to shield his eyes and I scrambled to my feet. 'A girl born in the palace from two bakers, raised true and blue, a sheltered life until both parents died on the same night when she was only seven years old! Then she spent the next nine years of her life in the Palace hospital living with her 'best friend'. Where does fighting fit into that life style?'

'How do you know that?' I hissed as I spun and slashed threw the breeches of an attacker behind me, as he bent down to retrieve his fallen trousers I kicked him in the head and pushed him aside.

'You're a smart girl Marinette' Rodgers whispered into my ear as he wrapped his arm around my throat. 'You must realise we don't take just "anyone" into our group!'

'Because it is so rare to find other blood obsessed maniacs reckless enough to join' I rasped out as he tightened his grip mercilessly. I clawed at his hands as my throat exploded with pain from his iron grip, but with my short nails he didn't even flinch. It hurt behind locked into a choke hold, no one really realises that even though there is less nerves in your neck then your hands and such, the skin holding your spinal cord and oesophagus together is extremely fragile, and so, it bloody hurts when someone blocks it! I already knew I was going to have bruises for weeks after this fight which is something I usually avoided by all costs.

'Does this hurt?' Rodgers crooned as he squeezed tighter, I couldn't respond, I couldn't even breath!

'Poor girl, I better make this quick then' he said, moving his grip so that he held my head with both hands.

One twist of his wrist and he could snap my neck easily.

Not good.

But suddenly Rodgers gave out a yell of pain and his grip loosened slightly, I took the chance to elbow him in the kidneys and slip out of his hands gasping wildly as suddenly, I could breathe again.

I stumbled away from him, falling heavily onto the cart as my legs gave out from underneath me. My arms trembled as I leant heavily on the railing, coughing air down my burning throat.

My eyes were watering violently, blurring any vision that wasn't blocked by the dancing black dots that always came when I was out of it. Combined I couldn't see two feet in front of my face, making any blurry shape more threatening than before. A figure loomed out of the darkness to my side and I swung violently in their general direction, but instead of punching someone in the face or meeting empty air as one would expect in this situation, warm hands wrapped around my wrist and spun me towards them with dancer's grace.

'Are you alright Marinette?' Adrien asked as I found myself tucked against his side.

I lent heavily on his side, still coughing wildly, but I managed a nod.

'Just give me a moment' I rasped out as I scrubbed at my eyes.

'We don't seem to have one' he replied as he pressed his knife into my numb fingertips.

'How many are left?' I asked as he spun us both out of the way of an upcoming attack. This was really starting to feel more like a dance then a fight, not that I was complaining or anything. It wasn't every day you got the fight alongside with the next king of France.

'About five, we can take them!'

He suddenly changed his grip of my arms and lifted me about a foot in the air, I twisted my feet upwards and double kicked a man in the face, riding the momentum so that I flipped over Chat's shoulder so we were standing back to back, a defensive stance we often use when fighting a group that outnumbers us in grate proportions.

No.

Wait.

It was Adrien. I was with Adrien, I was fighting alongside Adrien, the first prince of France, not my scruffy partner from who knows where. It was Adrien I had my back pressed up against, it was his strong muscles I could feel threw my dress, it was his blond hair that tickled the top of my head since he dared to be so bloody tall. It was Adrien, the Prince, the comfortingly plane, adorably kind, amazingly handsome Adrien I was fighting with. Not my wildly flirty, scruffily gymnastic, athletically stupid partner Chat Noir, it was Adrien!

It was….

Adrien.

'It can't be!' I rasped, turning to look him in the face. The blurriness has faded from my eyes, and they felt clearer then they had for years.

'How could I not see it?' I asked myself. 'It's so obvious! Like who else has fucking blond hair in Paris? NO ONE! How did I not see this in the YEARS we had been training together? Did it really take me almost five years to realise the boy I had been pining over was the same boy I was constantly rejecting? Did someone really just have to cover their cheek bones for me to not know them? No, it can't be! This is pure insanity!'

'Marinette?' Adrien asked in a worried voice.

'You can't be' I told him as horror and pain battled for full view in my mind. Oh pain, my old friend.

'Can't be what?' Adrien asked confused as he turned to brake the teeth of one of the last thugs with his bare hands.

With nimble fingers I slashed the collar of his shirt open with his own knife. He looked at me utterly shocked, but I just stared at his exposed chest, rock hard muscles coated in unmarked flesh as pale as fresh milk, except of course, for the two brown freckles on his collar bone!

It was him.

Chat Noir was Adrien.

The Prince was the vigilante.

The future King was the alley cat.

My crush was my friend.

There is no denying it, my life is totally fucked.

* * *

I saw a flash of steal and knew I couldn't block it in time. I expected it to bight into my skin and finally end my journey of life the quick way, but instead it simply ripped the front of my shirt in two and disappeared as quick as it appeared.

I turned to see it was Marinette who had tried to cut me, and for a moment I thought this was her way of betraying me to these crooks, but then I saw the overwhelming horror in her eyes.

'Marinette-' I started but she silenced me by raising the knife I had given her, and throwing it straight at my head. I ducked at the last moment, the steal missing my eye by a hairs breath and I head the horribly familiar thud of steal finding its target in something NOT meant to be stabbed at.

I turned to see the girl from before, Alix as Marinette called her, freeze where she stood behind me her knife poised in the air above her head, ready to strike my un-expecting back, well, she would have stabbed me if it wasn't for the knife sticking out of her throat. I caught her as she fell and held her as she drowned on her own blood, she was dead before I knew it.

'You killed her' I said stunned as i looked up at Marinette, the warm blood of this girl still staining my hands. How could sweet kind Marinette kill someone?

'It isn't my first time' she murmured.

'What!'

I turned to look at her to see she was staring back at me with eyes sadder then I had ever seen.

'It isn't the first time I killed someone' she repeated. 'I try not to kill people, we both know that, but sometimes in our line of work it just happens'

'Wait – '

'The first time I killed someone was an accident, someone was just standing a bit further left then I thought they were, my whip must have wrapped around their neck and snapped it without me even noticing!'

'No' I whispered to myself, lights flashing before my eyes.

'It was also an accident that I even found the body in the first place' she went on, her voice trembling slightly with emotion even though her face betrayed none. 'I just came across it when running around the scene for clues the next day! I never told you that, did I? I was always trying to protect you from my mistakes you see, I guess my one mistake I couldn't save you from was not being smart enough to figure out who you were years ago. I could have saved you so much pain, my stupid cat'

* * *

BAM!

THIS is the chapter you have been waiting for isnt it? The IDENTITY REVEAL!

i had soooooo much fun writing this, and i will post the next chapter next week since i have homework i have been severely ignoring.

Also, i updated chapter 4 yesterday so if your confused about anything (in this chapter or the next) please message me and ask, i have way to much free time spent procrastinating anyway

See ya later, ;)


	8. Some good in the dark

**AUTHORS NOTE** : This chapter, unlike all the other chapters in my story, is about to get steamy! So if your under 8 years old...

No

Just no.

Go to bed because you should not read about theirs!

That is all

* * *

Realization is like fireworks. One moment there is only the calm night sky full of gentle stars, but next an explosion of colours would appear and block out the dark, captivating the minds of all those present

My life before Marinette said those three words was like the calm before the storm, the dark before the light! It may have been more interesting than other lives, like a clear night compared to a cloudy one, but as soon as she said that one small sentence, unimportant to most but ever to dire to myself, I was thrown into a full force hurricane!

For she sparked my explosion. She tended to the seeds of thought that was lying dormant in my mind, slowly bringing them to life, but with those three words, three small little words, she lit the match and blew light into the dark.

She was Ladybug! The nurse, the orphan, the baker's daughter, the seamstress in training, the leader, the half-Chinese half-French girl blessed with a kind heart and fearless mind, and she is Ladybug!

'How did you figure it out?' I asked her softly. Stupid question, I know. But sometimes when you have so many questions it is simple easiest to ask the stupidest one first.

'I know everything and nothing at once' she whispered.

Those exact words were told to me by Ladybug hours earlier, well, same girl I guess, just different war paint!

So it's true, Marinette, the girl in love with someone who will never love her back, the girl who gets her heart broken far too often for mental health, the girl who opened my eyes to the horrors of the world and still finds the strength to grin threw it every day! Marinette, the girl who will never love me for fear of social status and all that bull shit my Father rained down on her head, SHE is Ladybug. The one girl I will ever love in my entire existence, and she hates me! It wasn't fair! I guess life in general wasn't fair, but it was only now that realised that.

My emotions ran rapidly threw my head, changing from pain to shock and back to pain, and at last landing on the easiest emotion to turn to when your world turns on your head, fury.

'I can't believe it!' I said angrily, jumping to my feet and griping my hair in my hands. 'I can't believe I didn't notice earlier! There is literally NO OTHER Asian teenage girls in Paris!'

Marinette shrugged softly as if she didn't really care about this turn of events, like it wasn't something that will change her life forever like it has changed mine!

This made me livid.

'Well!' I demanded. 'Say something?'

'What is there to say' she muttered softly.

'EVERYTHING!' I shouted. 'Aren't you shocked that your partner is the PRINCE OF FRANCE? Doesn't it bother you that you have been friends with your future king for years now and didn't even know it? Why are you just standing there as if I was nobody! Why aren't you furious at Tikki and Plagg from keeping this from us?'

'I guess it just hasn't sunk in yet' she muttered as she took in my furious shouting blankly. Not once did she look away from my face, regarding my eyes like she had never seen them before. Her emotionless reaction was not helping my temper.

With a growl I turned and kicked the concrete wall next to me. The silence of the night was broken by the loud crunch of my toe breaking soon followed by my obsessive swearing as I hopped around on one foot, only to slip over on the puddle of Alix's still warm blood. As I lay on my back next to her warm body, her blood soaking into the back off my shirt and vest, I wanted to jump up and run, be sick in a corner somewhere and sleep for the next 50 years, in that order precisely, but I was overcome by exhaustion that broke me to my bones.

'Come on Sir Prince' Marinette said as she gripped my hands with her warm ones. 'Let's take you home

I nodded dully as she pulled me to my feet and wrapped a random jacket off the ground around my shoulders to hide the blood stained there from the night crowd of Paris. She placed my hat back on my head and wrapped her arm around my waist and I placed mine around her shoulders. Together we stumbled towards the brightly lit palace of France.

I didn't know who was supporting who as we walked in silence. Marinette was warm by my side, she kept away the chill of the night but with her warmth came pain. I thought of pushing her away to walk by myself, but I knew I would never do that, even if I had wanted to.

'Someone's going to notice your shirt' she muttered to me after a few minutes. 'How are you going to sneak inside?'

'The catacombs' I replied as I looked down at her, 'my door in the hide out leads directly to my rooms'

She nodded, met my eyes briefly and looked ahead once more, saying no more.

We snuck into the tunnels threw a hidden entrance in an open sewer drain underneath an old sick house that hasn't been used in years and after a few minutes of walking in pitch blackness, I led the way back to our hide out.

The room was just how we left it this morning, except now our gear was washed, dry and folded on the table, compliments of Tikki I guess.

'Was it really this morning?' Marinette suddenly asked, pausing in the door-way of the room. 'It feels so much longer!'

'Like a life time' I agreed. 'I can't believe it was only a day since- '

My voice faded out, looking down at her face instead.

'Since I stayed' she whispered, looking up. 'I trust you with my life Chaton, you should know that'

For a moment her eyes looked so sad I thought she was going to cry, but then she sniffed and looked away, murmuring that we should keep going and leading me forwards.

'So what now' I asked as we reached the stairs that led up to my room.

'I should probable look at your foot' Marinette answered as we walked in darkness. 'If- if you want me too'

'Yes' I lied quickly. I knew it was selfish of me to want to keep her close after my so obvious rejection, but I

just…. **couldn't** let her go! Not without hurting myself in return.

* * *

His room was enormous! Even through the fog that filled my head, blocking out all emotions and rational thoughts, I still marvelled at how FREAKING HUGE his room was.

'My god' I breathed as we walked out of the hidden door in his wall to see the gold trimmed furniture and walls that contrasted with the baby blue print underneath. The gold shimmered in the candles someone had already lit making it look like the entire room was about to burst into flames, the effect was mesmerizing.

'It is a bit much' Adrien muttered sheepishly as he tightened his grip around my shoulders.

'it's amazing' I told him truthfully, flashing him a small smile before I could stop myself, looking away before I could catch his reaction. It was stupid to be here in the first place; Adrien was the prince! He was the **engaged** prince! And being my partner in crime doesn't change that!

No matter how much I want it too.

God, it was only because of the fog that I wasn't breaking down in tears right now! I was so close to him, yet so far away.

Besides, he was so mad when he realised I was Ladybug he probable hates me! I would hate me too if I found out I was in love with a low life half-breed such as myself.

The only reason I was still here with him was because of his broken foot, that was why I had helped him walk across Paris with my arm wrapped around his side, at least, that is what I told myself.

'How's your foot feeling?' I asked him as I gently lowered him into a nearby couch.

'I've had worse' he replied as I sat on the coffee table across him and pulled his leg into my lap.

'We both have' I muttered, eased his boot off. His big toe was swollen and turning blue.

Yep, that's a broken toe.

'Remember when you broke my hand during training?' Adrien suddenly asked as I prodded his toe gently.

'You wouldn't stop complaining' I muttered, smiling slightly.

'To be fair, you did break it with a chair leg'

'You're the one who tried to catch it' I retorted, glancing up to see his wide smirk. He held my gaze for a second or two before I looked down again, my smile slipping off my face.

'Do you ever think we will be the same again?' He asked me softly.

Instead of answering I yanked the top of his toe back into place, resetting the bone.

'Marinette' he said softly as I ripped a strip of cloth off my dress and tied his broken toe to its neighbor, hopefully so it will grow back straight. But with our life style, not likely.

'Talk to me' he pleaded in a heartbreakingly desperate voice that cause a stab of pain to flash through my heart.

'About what?' I asked him as I finally met his gaze 'About the blood in your hair? Or our friendship of secrets? Or the fact that someone is trying to overthrow your family from power?'

'About us?' he cried, pulling his foot from my lap and leaning forwards in his seat to grab my hands in his. 'About the future of our partnership! I need you Marinette!'

Doesn't he know what he is doing to me? Doesn't he know that those words can be taken in more than one way? Doesn't he know that with each word he was stabbing a knife into my chest and twisting cruelly!

I have to finish this! I have to tell him the truth! I have to clear my soul before it smothers me. I have to do this.

'It will never be the same' I said as my voice started to tremble and my eyes started to cry. 'we will never be just friends again'

'Don't say that!' he said, leaning closer to cup my face in his hands, brushing away my tears with his thumbs. 'Don't say that Marinette!'

'Because I love you'

Silence.

His face was a mask of pure shock, his hands on my face were stiff and unmoving. He looked like he'd just been soccer punched in the kidneys and was trying to remember how to breath. I took a deep breath and continued before he regained his ability to speak, before he once and for all, crushed my heart.

'I fell in love with the kind prince' I told him. 'I fell in love with your words and your heart and your every flaw because that made you human! I fell in love with how you hid your sadness from everyone because you didn't want to be a burden! I have loved you since I was 11 years old and I will love you until the end of time! And its only because I love you so much that this is so hard to- '

'Deep breath Marinette' I told myself 'Finish this now!'

'-to let you go'

'But why' he breathed, speaking at last. 'Why do we have to part?'

'Because dear Prince' I said sadly, gently pulling his hands from my face. 'You're getting married!'

'What?' he said utterly confused.

'Your to be wed to Countess Chloe! That's why she's here in the first place. The King has ordered it'

'But I don't want to be!' he pleaded, desperately trying to grab my hands again, but I stepped away before he could.

'You're the Prince' I repeated steadily while my tears fell faster and faster. 'You have to marry the countess!'

'No I don't' he cried, jumping to his feet and limping towards me as I backed away, but he caught hold of my arm and pulled me into his side. I knew I should have fought him off as he cupped my face in his warm callused hands once more, I knew anything between us was just going to end in pain, I knew he was going to make me mourn the death of my heart a second time, but the flicker of hope inside of me was just too strong. The hope that he wasn't lying about loving me for nearly four years now, the hope that he will love me too, the hope that he won't cause me pain like everyone else I love does regardless of their wishes.

'Marinette' he whispered as he looked down at me with pleading eyes. 'I don't want to be with Chloe. I want to be with a girl who's strong and kind and determined and makes me smile when there is nothing to smile about! I want to be with someone who is always busy thinking of others so I have to think of her instead! I want someone loyal and trustworthy, someone who would never leave me because they simple love me too much to leave! I want you Marinette! I want your beautiful smile to make me laugh when I'm sad, I want your strong hands to pull me back together when I break, I want your heart to be mine and only mine for the rest of our lives! Because I- I love you Marinette, and no matter what social-status crap everyone says I want to be with you!'

'Do you really mean that?' I whispered as I gripped his arms to keep my hands from shaking. 'Do you really want to be with me, no matter what?'

'No matter what' he replied, stroking the tears from my cheeks tenderly.

And then he lent down and kissed me.

* * *

I was so scared she was going to push me away and run screaming for help. I was absolutely terrified that I was going to mess up our entire relationship just because I couldn't wait any longer to kiss her, so when Marinette relaxed against my chest and started to kiss me back, I thought my heart was going to explode!

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer, I in return grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the ground. She pulled her dress up her long, tone legs to wrap them around my waist, and I carried her into my bed room. As I lowered her onto my bed I braced my arms on either side of her head, kicking off my boots as I did so. She kissed trails of fire up and down my throat and across my collar bone, occasionally leaving love bites as she trailed up her path to my lips.

'You have no idea how long I have wanted to do this' I whispered huskily as she sucked on a particularly sensitive part of my throat.

'I think I do' she replied breathlessly before I ferociously kissed her once more.

'Your shirt' she told me after a few moments, breaking off the kiss.

'What about it?' I asked as I kissed each and every bruise left on her throat from Rodgers attack.

'It's in the way'

I paused at my handy work and looked at her questioningly. Her lips were swollen and her eyes burning with passion, her cheeks were dusted pink and her hair had slid out of her trademark pigtails so it was scattered across the pillow she was lying on. I have never wanted to be with her more, but that doesn't mean she wanted to be with me!

'Are you sure?' I whispered. 'You don't have too'

'You're not the only one whose been waiting' she whispered back, stroking her hand down my face. 'Besides, you're always bragging about those abs, I might as well feel them for myself!'

I laughed softly and lifted my torso off her so that her quick fingers could strip the material off my back. In a few seconds the stolen coat was on the floor, and moments later my vest and shirt joined it. Marinette's hands traced patterns across my back, arms and then down to my stomach, I shivered as she traced my snails tail down to the waist band of my trousers.

'So many scares' she muttered as her finger tips traced a thick scare that zigzagged across my ribs and lower back. 'I'm sorry I couldn't save you from them'

'You've saved me from enough that I'm still here today' I told her, brushing the hair from her eyes. She winced slightly as my fingers touched the recent cut hidden in her hair line from the carriage fiasco, I clenched my jaw as I saw the stiches still holding it together.

'We both have scars' she whispered, turning my head so that I was looking into her eyes instead. 'But that doesn't matter when were together'

'It matters to me' I muttered sourly. She rolled her eyes and suddenly rolled us over so that she was laying on top of me, I gulped as she straddled my waist and gazed down at me with hooded eyes.

'Stop being such a sour puss' she purred as she slowly unbuttoned the front of her blouse in the sexiest strip tease I could have ever imagined.

'Where did THIS Marinette come from?' I asked amazed as she dropped her shirt behind her on the bed.

'She stole some of Ladybugs confidence' Marinette purred as she lent forwards, making her bosom practically spill from the top of her corset to reveal even more porcelain skin I wanted to kiss and touch, to leave my mark on to claim as my own!

She teased kisses across my jaw and down my neck, leaving so many love bites it was going to be impossible to disguise tomorrow, but that was a problem for another day!

'You are done teasing me?' I asked huskily as she kissed the square of my jaw again.

'Maybe' she whispered.

Suddenly impatient, I tackled her to the bed so that our feet were on the pillows and I, once more, was lying on top.

'Not wise to tease the cat' I growled before kissing her lips fiercely and desperately.

We kissed as our hands roamed over each other's bodies, pulling clothing in places and tearing in others, but it was only when I had reached the hem of her skirt that I paused, looking down at her for permission like the man Plagg raised me to be.

'Are you ready for this?' I asked softly.

'I want to be with you' she responded, smiling as she gazed into my eyes. 'Especially for my first time'

'It's my first time too' I admitted.

'Then let's do this together' she whispered, pulling my waist band down over my hips.

'Together' I agreed, as I kissed her once more.

So we kissed, shedding our clothes from our pale scar filled bodies along with our virginities and our fear for the messed up world we are forced to live in, and forced to fix.

* * *

First of all, i just want you to know I wrote this while sitting next to my father on a four hour car trip! He didn't relies the extent of the smut i was writting, but obviously, that was not the best decision i have made in my short life!

Secondly, i am sooooooo tired right now, like totaly exausted. i just want to post this and go to sleep, so knowing this, i hope you can forgive me for this sloppy work. Its not my best writing, by far, but i'm just sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired! So suck it up princess, dont bite the hand that feeds you!

And third, i know Marinette and Adrien are 16 (or !7, i forget) in this story and 16 year old (or 17) dont usualy have sex on their first date, but this is the 1760's. This shit happens then.

Anyway, to summerise, tired, poor writing, sorry, post next week, exams, attention sman ect ect

Good bye


	9. Lovers have no peace

I woke with a start, my breath coming in gasps as I struggled to calm my breathing and shake off the shivers of fear my nightmare left behind. Adrien's arms tightened around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest under the silk blankets of his bed, I focused of his warmth until I could breathe normally once again.

'what was it?' he asked softly, his breath tickling the back of my neck.

'A nightmare' I responded, reaching up to stroke his arm. 'I get them sometimes'

'Want to talk about it?'

'I don't remember my dreams' I lied, closing my eyes again.

'Marinette, you can tell me anything, you know that right?'

'I know' I sighed, snuggling deeper into his chest. 'Just not now, too tired'

'It is only dawn' he said, kissing an ugly scar on my shoulder softly, just like last night when I kissed every scar on his body. Every Last One!

'WHAT!' I said, sitting up quickly as my day dreams burst like a bubble. The sheets fell away to reveal my very naked chest, but I ignored it. 'I have to go! I have work to do!'

'You're not leaving that quickly' he growled, pulling me back down into bed.

'Adrien!' I giggled as he rolled on top of me, peppering my neck with kisses. 'I have to go!'

'Not if I have anything to do about it' he whispered huskily as he kissed the swell of my breasts.

'Didn't you get enough last night?' I giggled as his lips brushed across my ribs, nibbling as he did so.

'Did you?' he responded, smirking as I shivered under his touch.

I didn't know what to say! I had wanted to kiss Adrien for so long, and the relief that he loved me back just as strongly crumbled all my defences leaving my heart, and body, in his command! First we were just kissing, but then we were on his bed and clothes were being removed and ...

I didn't want him to stop!

And it was amazing to see how I could affect him just as strongly as he affected me! I could make him moan and pant, and beg and cry and submit to my will while in return I was totally at him mercy! We did things together that left me breathless and craving more, we did things that made every worry that has ever dared to enter my head be obliterated on the spot! We did things that felt right.

It still felt like a dream to me, that I could be this happy without something bad happening was a miracle! But it is real! Prince Adrien loves me, and he's proving that right now as his kisses trail lower and lower across my stomach.

'Oh no Kitty' I giggled, pulling my leg up to place my foot in the centre of his chest. 'I have work to do!'

'I'm sure you can wait a few minutes' he purred as his fingers trailed across my leg.

'Sadly' I said softly as he kissed the inside of my thigh. 'it cannot!'

I then (gently) kicked him off me and scrambled to my feet, searching for my lost clothes.

'Oh come on Marinette' Adrien pouted as he lounged across his bed, the sheet hanging low on his hips.

'Don't you want to stay with me?' he added, flexing his biceps, which chipped a big crack in my determination to leave, BUT it wasn't enough.

'Of course I do' I said as I pulled on a baggy pair of grey shorts that acted as my underwear. 'But I was late yesterday, I can't be late today!'

'When will I see you again?' he asked as I wiggled into my corset.

'Tonight' I responded breathlessly as I pulled the stings taunt. I noticed his eyes zoomed on my sudden cleavage and giggled as he blushed slightly.

'Besides' I added, my smile slipping slightly. 'We have work to do'

He groaned and flopped back into bed, covering his face with his hands. I busied myself by pulling my skirt on and looking for my blouse in the pile of clothes kicked into a pile.

'Do we have to stop them?' Adrien asked softly.

I looked up at him sharply. He was looking at me threw his fingers, his expression unknown.

'Adrien' I said sternly. 'They tried to commit genocide!'

'But it was for the right cause' he said slowly, as if he was trying to prevent an argument he knew was about to start.

And it was, it so was!

'They are trying to destroy everything your family stands for!' I said yanking my blouse on with shaking hands.

'Don't you see what they are trying to do?' he demanded, sitting up in bed once more. 'Don't you see the suffering they are trying to stop?'

 **'They were trying to blow up the palace**!' I yelled. ' **They were going to kill the people they are trying to save**!'

' **They are doing what is needed to be done**!' he yelled back, ripping the blankets off the bed as he stood in such a haste. ' **Don't you see the suffering in the streets? You showed it to ME! Why aren't you understanding this**?'

'Yes' I snapped. 'Yes, I understand how YOUR family screwed up an entire monarchy! I understand perfectly how shit the world is, and their cause may be just, but their actions are the total opposite of that!'

'There is no other way!' he pleaded angrily as he yanked his trousers on, soon followed by his vest from yesterday. 'How can you take down an army without weapons!'

'Any man who thinks his own people are expandable should not have the right to rule! YOU should know that more than most!

' **What is that support to mean**?' he yelled, but I ignored him as I stormed out of his sun rise room, pausing slightly in the door way to yank on my shoes that had been discarded there the night before. I spotted the book I had stolen two days before and hastily stuffed it down the back of my skirt, too angry to explain this mystery at the moment.

'Marinette!' Adrien said angrily as he joined me in the room. 'You have to understand; we shouldn't stop these people!' he growled as he caught hold of my arm to keep me from leaving.

'No' I snarled, yanking my arm from his grip. 'YOU don't understand! They may be walking in the right direction but THEIR destination is totally different than the one France needs! To take down a monarchy you don't need a few idiots running around killing everyone in sight, you need an entire population to stand up as one! But you couldn't possible know about the world and how fragile it is while you're sitting under your father's thumb, could you?'

He glared down at me with enough hate that I instantly wanted to apologise, to hug him and bring back the smile I fell love with, to talk about this softly with understanding and trust, but before I could get a word in he raised his right hand and back handed me so hard I went stumbling.

His silver ring split my lip in impact and as my own blood filled my mouth and ran down my face, all thoughts of emotion broke along with my remaining control.

* * *

I slapped her.

I slapped Marinette!

I was just so mad at her ignorance, how she always thinks everyone can be saved! But this is war! People are going to die for the greater good, why doesn't she know this?

And then when she started talking about my father's control over my life, I snapped.

Marinette doesn't know how sensitive I am about my dad, how I always hated him subconsciously as he micro-managed my life! She doesn't know about the wound she just pored salt on, how much it hurt to even mention his name. So I slapped her.

I love her.

And I slapped her.

What kind of man does this make me?

I instantly regretted it, regretted making her shed blood once more when I try so hard as Chat to prevent this. But then as she stared up at me with shock and fury in her eyes that watered from the impact, it made my guilt double tenfold.

'Marinette' I whispered, taking a step towards her, holding out my hand to wipe the blood from her face. But she slapped my hand away with her left hand, and with her right she gave me a right hook to the jaw.

I took a step back from the impact, staring at her in surprise.

'You stupid prick' she seethed, stomping towards me with anger flaming in her eyes, I quickly backed away from her.

'You cannot stop problems by hurting them! You may act kind and sensitive, you may act like you don't want this life, that you want it to end! But you are exactly what you try to hide. A stupid, stubborn Prince who was raised with a silver spoon up his arse and cotton for his brain! You think actions don't have consequences, but they do! You simply don't care since they aren't affecting YOU!'

'No Marinette' I pleaded, catching her first before it could break my nose. 'I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking! I'm sorry'

'How can I trust you if you hurt me like this' she sobbed, tears running tracks down her face. 'Your just like the rest of them!'

'No, no Marinette I'm not!' I cried out, catching her other hand as she half-heartedly tried to punch my chest. 'Marinette, I promise- '

But I was stopped short as the door to my dining room burst open with a defining bang as it slammed into the wall opposite, and my Father, the King of France stormed in looking like he was god himself here to start judgment day!

 **'WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE!'** he thundered, lightning flashing in his eyes.

Marinette gasped as froze where she stood, her eyes empty of anger now, but full of fear.

Father regarded the both of us, taking in Marinette's rumpled hair and my lack of clothes and the love bites not hidden by them. His eyes flashed as he took in the swelling on my jaw, and the blood on Marinette's face.

'Guards' he commanded in a dangerously low voice. 'Arrest the girl'

'What NO!' I yelled, jumping in front of Marinette as guards swarmed the room, all pointing their muskets at Marinette's head as she struggled to breath.

'Step away from the girl Sir Prince' one of the men ordered.

'NO! Father what are you doing!' I cried out, glaring at any man who got close to her.

'This whelp' Father growled. 'Attacked the next king of France! No one is permitted to do such a thing without a death sentence, no matter how much of a whore they are!'

'No Father, I hit her first, it is my fault!'

'Then she should have taken it like she was meant to and have thanked you for such a privilege! Drag the Prince away from her'

' **NO, FATHER STOP**!' I bellowed as two guards grabbed my shoulders and roughly dragged me away from her as she was grabbed and led from the room.

'Take her to the dungeons' father growled as she was dragged past him. 'She is to be hanged as soon as possible!'

She gasped and looked back at me with terrified eyes, seconds later her screams joined mine as she was dragged from the room.

' **GET OFF ME**!' I bellowed at the men who gripped my arms tightly as I fought against them. ' **FATHER, LET HER GO**!'

'Release him' my father instructed in a bored voice, ignoring my screams. I stumbled slightly as their sudden release, but quickly ran across the room, grabbing hold of my father's arm tightly.

'Please Father' I pleaded desperately. 'Don't do this! I love her! Please, don't kill the girl I love!'

He regarded me sceptically, disgust obvious in his eyes.

'Wait' he called, not taking his eyes off mine. The soldiers stopped in their tracks, I met Marinette's eyes and gave her a tense look. We weren't out of danger yet.

'Bring her to me'

The guard silently led her in front of the King, where he regarded her like a piece of trash.

'Father- 'I started, but he silenced me with a flick of his hand, he then as quick as a whip he used that same hand to slap Marinette across the face, spraying blood onto the blue carpet. She slumped in the guard's grip, but didn't make a noise, I looked at her with overwhelming concern as she raised her face again, her eye swollen already.

'Now what do you say' My father growled down at her, reaching out with one hand to force her to face him.

' **What do you say!'** he repeated louder, his voice deadly calm. When Marinette said nothing he raised his hand again to deliver another vicious blow.

'Thank you' Marinette whispered quietly threw a mouthful of blood. 'Thank you Sir King!'

Father let out a huff of breath and released her face, she fell forwards in the soldier's grip so they had to support her dead weight.

Father took a step back and re-straightened his clothes, his eyes glancing over Marinette and my bare arms once more. He met my eyes and I silently gasped as I saw the emotionless hate that was swirling inside of them.

'Guard' he said, addressing the men who held her. 'Take her to the dungeons and give her birth control. Suspend her hanging until next week after her bleeding has finished. I will not have my descendant die along with this god less whore!'

'And you!' he snarled to me as they dragged her limp body from the room. 'How **DARE YOU DEFIE ME**!'

'Father, don't do this!' I exclaimed desperately. 'She has done nothing wrong!'

In answer he slapped me across the face, right where Marinette has punched me before, right where he knew it would hurt the most.

' **I AM YOU FATHER AND YOUR KING!** ' he bellowed as I pushed my blond hair out of my eyes. 'You are to do as you are told and **NOTHING** more! You are the future King, Adrien! You cannot go running around with some harlot and call it love!'

'You **CAN'T DO THIS**!' I yelled back, my anger breaking down wall of restraint I put up against my father years ago. ' **JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE KING DOSENT MEAN** \- '

' **IT.**

 **MEANS.**

 **EVERYTHING!** ' he bellowed with such thunder that all I could do was freeze and stare. Even the remaining guards in the room looked a bit uneasy.

'Adrien' he growled. 'You are to marry Countess Chloe and become King of France! You are to have no relationships with anymore else for I will not stand for a descendant of common blood! We will not mix our blood of the gods with those pigs Adrien, we have a legacy to withhold!'

'Is that why you never mention your Father' I snapped, my fury making me think of any petty insult I could think of.

Father snarled and glared daggers at me, but I just glared back.

I was done taking orders from the likes of HIM!

'You will stay in your rooms until further notice!' he said between gritted teeth. 'If I hear of you anywhere else I will go down there and slit her throat myself!'

And with that he stormed out of the room, becoming his guards to follow him with a snap of his hand.

The door was closed for no more than five seconds when I was off, yanking on clean clothes out of hidden places and stashing the blood stained ones in their place. I pulled every knife I had hidden in my room and strapped it to my body, in my boots, the insides of my vest and trousers, my gloves and coat and hat. I pulled my hair sharply off my face and hid it in my stolen hat before rubbing some of the grease and dirt from my boots onto my face. When I was done I looked just like any other palace worker, which was something I was going for! I then took one last thing from my room, a pocket size painting of my late mother I had hidden in one of my expensive books littered around the room.

I gazed at it steadily, wishing now more than every that I could talk to her, to ask for her help on what unspeakable things I was about to do! But she was dead, gone, missing from a wold that mourned in her absence. And if I didn't leave soon, Marinette would be too.

I glanced around the room, thinking of anything I might need in my journey ahead. I spotted a flash of red, and under closer inspection I realised it was Marinette's hair ties that she had forgotten on her …. hasty exit.

'I can't lose her too' I told the photo, 'I wouldn't be able to live with myself'

I flipped the photo over and scrawled a message on the back in Mandarin before slipping both the ribbons and the rolled up photo into my pocket, and opened the secret exit in the wall of my room, closing it behind me without a backwards glance.

I was done taking orders from the likes of him! For now, and forever.

* * *

'PLAGG!'

'What now' I grumbled turning towards the Prince as he ran down the dark stairs of the catacombs after me. I always marvelled (and hated) how he could move so fast in the dark with no candle or lantern! If I tried to do that I would slip over and break my neck, even in my prime days. But as I saw the terrifyingly angry expression on his face, I knew something was terribly wrong.

'What happened?' I asked, getting to the point straight away.

'They have Marinette' he gasped, slightly out of breath. 'They have Ladybug. And they're going to kill her'

'What!' I said, shocked at the turn this conversation was going.

'The King, my father! He saw us together fighting and he sentenced her to the noose! Plagg, what do we do!' he said desperately. 'They're going to kill her!'

'Well you fucked up this time Sir Prince' I said stonily.

'Plagg!' he said emotionally.

'Oh come on' I snapped, turning on my heels and taking off at a brisk pace. 'It's time for you to meet Tikki'

'I've already met her' Adrien said as he hurried to catch up.

'Of course you have' I muttered. 'And I guess it was you who stole the red velvet book and the letters from the mirror room?'

'No, that was Marinette'

'Kids today' I growled. 'No sense of caution. To you a secret is like a bone to a dog!'

'Plagg, how is Tikki going to help Marinette?'

'Why do we need to help her?' asked Tikki as she appeared out of the darkness making us both jump.

'I hate it when you do that!' I snapped as I clutched at my frantically beating heart, leaning slightly against the nearby wall. In the dim light of a window overhead I saw she was as beautiful as ever- for, you know, someone with more skin then bones.

'Focuses Plagg' Tikki said stonily. 'Why do we need to help the baker's daughter?'

'I know she's Ladybug' Adrien blurted out.

Tikki sword foully under her breath which tricked a smile onto my face, I quickly hid it as she glanced my way.

'What happened to her?' she demanded, looking at both the Prince and I in turn.

'Yes, what did happen?' I demanded, turning on Adrien.

'It's a long story' he muttered, playing with something in his pocket.

'We have time' I said.

'Marinette does not' Tikki added.

Adrien gulped and I winked at Tikki, she (to my great surprise) smiled back. After the years and YEARS of arguing I had almost forgotten how manipulative we could be together, we even got the King to France to confess at one point.

But that was not important now, for the young boy was about to start his story.

* * *

This, hands down, was my favorite chapter to write!

So far.

Like seriously, it had that roll to it that made it just so deliciously easy to write!

I do not know how i will top it.

But i will, trust me. I'm the author.


	10. AUTHORS NOTE

To my dear readers.

I am truly sorry to say... my laptop broke!

In half!

It was a tragedy, I cried, my mother cried, everyone cried, because it truly and fully was, a tragedy.

And because of this tragedy i wont be able to update my story for a while, cause you know, all my previous files are gone and my sister wont let me borrow her laptop forever.

But do not worry!

I promise to update my story before the month is over some way of the other!

Sorry for all inconveniences, but I couldn't save it if i had wanted to or not.

And i did, i really did!


End file.
